Rs 38 lakh Phagwara bank robbery, Haridwar firing case cracked

In a significant crackdown, police forces across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have arrested suspects in two major cases — the Rs 38-lakh armed robbery at HDFC Bank branch in village Rihana Jattan near Phagwara and a recent firing incident in Haridwar.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Naveen Singla said here today that in the first case, two prime suspects were arrested in connection with the daring daylight robbery at HDFC Bank’s Rihana-Jattan branch near Phagwara, Kapurthala district.

Earlier this year, three armed and masked individuals stormed into the bank, held the staff and security guard hostage at gunpoint, and escaped with Rs 38 lakh. The perpetrators also seized employees’ mobile phones, severely disrupting communication during the critical initial response period.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of the Punjab Police and UP’s Mathura police, including personnel from the Special Operations Group (SOG) and Govind Nagar Police Station, arrested the two suspects — Navjot Singh and Zorawar Singh, both residents of Jalandhar — near the new bus stand area in Mathura. The arrests took place at Gokul Restaurant, where police also recovered Rs 2.02 lakh, an Innova, and five mobile phones believed to be linked to the crime.

Both individuals were found to be involved in multiple previous cases registered at the Rawalpindi Police Station in Punjab, including those under the Arms Act. Efforts are ongoing to trace the third accomplice who remains at large. Police officials have expressed confidence that the arrests represent a key step toward solving the case fully and recovering the remaining stolen funds.

Senior Superintendent of the Police Gaurav Toora said in a separate but equally significant development, a joint operation led by the Uttarakhand Police, in coordination with the Kapurthala police and Counter Intelligence Unit, Bathinda, led to the arrest of two suspects involved in a recent firing incident in Haridwar. The accused — Gaurav Kumar of village Meliana in SBS Nagar, and Manav Hans of Phagwara — were apprehended during early morning raids on June 12.

The arrests relate to FIR registered at Haridwar after unknown assailants opened fire on a man. While the victim survived the attack, the incident sparked swift inter-agency collaboration to identify and capture those responsible.

Both cases underscore the growing effectiveness of inter-state police coordination in tackling organised crime and ensuring public safety. Investigations in both matters are ongoing and law enforcement agencies are optimistic about bringing all involved to justice.