Mangaluru: In a bold daylight robbery, a gang of 5-6 members broke into Vyavasaya Seva Sahakara Sangha Bank at Kotekar, near Mangaluru, on Friday, making off with gold jewellery and other valuables worth an estimated Rs 4 crore.
According to Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, the gang, aged between 35 and 40, entered the bank between 1pm and 1:20pm. Wearing masks and armed with pistols and machetes, the robbers threatened the bank staff in Hindi and forced them to open the vault, which contained the valuables. During the robbery, they also damaged a printer, confiscated employees’ mobile phones, and snatched a ring from a CCTV technician. At the time, only five employees were present, and there was no security guard.
After stuffing the stolen items into bags, the gang fled in a black car towards KC Road junction. Special police teams have been formed to apprehend the culprits.
In response to the heist, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was in Mangaluru at the time, held an emergency meeting with senior police officers. He expressed his shock over the brazen robbery and questioned how the gang members managed to cross the city’s toll gates without being stopped, despite tight security measures. The CM has directed police to bolster security at all toll gates and initiate “nakabandi” (roadblocks) across Dakshina Kannada and neighboring districts in an effort to track down the robbers.
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