Rs 17.75 lakh looted from Amritsar bank

Amritsar, December 19

After taking employees and customers hostage, two armed persons looted Rs 17.75 lakh from Punjab National Bank’s Kathunangal branch in Amritsar today.

Though no security guard had been deputed at the bank, the incident was captured on CCTV cameras.

Took staff hostage at gunpoint

• Of the two robbers, one stood guard at the bank’s entrance
• The second robber took the staff hostage at gunpoint
• One of the robbers snatched money from cashier

Ironically, the bank is located 500 m away from the Kathunangal police station.

Senior branch manager Rohin Babbar said the robbers, who had covered their faces, entered the bank around 10.55 am. One of them stood guard at the entrance, while his accomplice took the staff hostage at gunpoint.

“Threatening to shoot the head cashier, one of the robbers asked him to hand over the cash. Later, both put the cash into a polythene bag and fled on a white scooter,” said the manager. He said they were assessing the exact loss.

SP (Investigation) Jugraj Singh said they had taken CCTV footage from the bank. “We are checking footage from surveillance cameras on different roads to identify their route. Police teams are on the job and perpetrators will be held soon,” he said.