VIJAYAPURA: The State Bank of India’s Chadchan branch was robbed of about Rs 1 crore in cash and around 20 kg of jewellery on Tuesday evening.Three masked men reportedly carried out the robbery, threatening bank staff who were still at work at 6.20 pm. Branch Manager Tarakeshwar G. Gangappa Venkatesh, 37, filed a complaint stating that a masked person entered the branch with a current account form containing errors. “When we suggested he fill it out correctly, he suddenly pulled out a pistol and threatened us to open the cash,” he said. Two others then joined him, threatening other customers.“As we opened the cash box, the first miscreant insisted we open the jewellery box. The miscreants tied five staff members and four customers with plastic tags and escaped with the cash and jewellery. They were aged between 20 and 30 years and were carrying knives along with guns. They looted around Rs 1.04 crore in cash and jewellery weighing about 20 kg. The approximate value of the looted assets is Rs 21.04 crore,” the manager added.Vijayapura SP Laxman Nimbargi said that bank officials are yet to confirm the total value of assets looted from the branch. “As soon as we received the information, Chadchan police sprang into action. The miscreants moved towards Pandharapur in Maharashtra in an EVA vehicle with a fake number plate. The vehicle entered a village named Hulajanti in Solapur district, where it met with a two-wheeler and had an argument with villagers. The person driving the vehicle absconded with the loot, according to local reports. The investigation is ongoing,” he said.This is the second bank robbery in the district. On May 25, the Managuli branch of Canara Bank was looted. Police cracked that case after a month, arresting 15 individuals, including the branch manager, in July.
