Gang involved in eight bank robberies in border belt busted in Amritsar

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, February 22

Following cross-firing, the Amritsar rural police have arrested eight miscreants allegedly involved in as many as eight bank robberies in the border districts.

The police have also seized weapons and cash from them besides impounding the car in which they were travelling. Among those arrested is a woman identified as Kajal, a resident of Batala Road here.

Nevertheless, the police officials were tight-lipped over their arrest though a senior police officials confirmed the development. He, however, refused to divulge the details.

According to information, the same gang was involved in the robbery of over Rs37 lakh from the HDFC Bank after holding the staff hostage at Naushehra Pannuan village in Tarn Taran.

Those arrested were identified as Vicky, Maddar, Sonu, Gora, Vijay and Sandeep Kaka. The police recovered Rs28 lakh, two bikes and a car besides four pistols and 10 bullets from them.

Just before Assembly poll, there was a spurt in bank robberies in the rural belt. Three banks were looted within 10 days that raised question mark on the working of the police even as the Punjab Police were on high alert in view of the elections.

On February 9, armed miscreants robbed Rs3.62 lakh from Punjab and Sind Bank branch in Sohia Khurd village. Before entering the bank, they snatched the rifle of the bank guard. The police had registered a case on the statement of branch manager Anil Kumar. He told that at 3.35pm, three unidentified youth entered the bank. They were wearing masks. As they entered the bank, they snatched the rifle of the guard and barged into the cashier’s cabin. They snatched over Rs3.62 lakh from him.

On February 7, five unidentified persons had decamped with over Rs5 lakh from the Punjab and Sind Bank branch at Naushehra village. Prior to this, five robbers had looted Rs2.6 lakh from the Manawala branch of the same bank on January 31.

On the eve of Assembly elections, the same gang with faces covered entered the HDFC Bank branch at Naushehra Pannuan village in Tarn Taran. They snatched the guard’s rifle before holding him captive. They later pointed guns at the staff and customers and snatched the cash from the cashier. Before fleeing, they also decamped with the mobile phones of bank employees besides the DVR.

Three banks targetted within 10 days

• Just before Assembly poll, there was a spurt in bank robberies in the rural belt. Three banks were looted within 10 days that raises question mark on the working of the police just ahead of poll
• On February 9, armed miscreants snatched the rifle of the Punjab and Sind Bank branch guard in Sohia Khurd village. They barged into the cashier’s cabin and fled with Rs3.62 lakh
• On February 7, five unidentified persons had decamped with over Rs5 lakh from the same bank branch at Naushehra village
• Prior to this, five robbers had looted Rs2.6 lakh from the Manawala branch of the same bank on January 31.
• On the eve of Assembly elections, the same gang with faces covered entered the HDFC Bank branch at Naushehra Pannuan village in Tarn Taran and decamped with Rs37 lakh