Five armed men allegedly carried out a daylight robbery at a Bank of Maharashtra branch in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli district on Friday, threatening staff and customers at gunpoint before escaping within 20 minutes. The incident happened at the bank’s Baidhan Vindhya Nagar branch around 1 pm and led to a district-wide manhunt.
Police stated that the attack started when two men entered the branch pretending to be customers. Soon after, they pulled out firearms and started threatening bank staff. According to an Indian Express report, three more group members joined them, allowing the group to take control of the branch. A local police officer, as cited by PTI, reported that four of the accused entered the bank while one was positioned outside with a pistol and acted as a lookout. Panic spread inside as the man allegedly threatened employees and customers, forced some of them to sit on the floor, and even fired shots, eyewitnesses said.
How did the robbery take place?
The attackers allegedly demanded access to cash reserves and lockers from the bank manager. When the manager hesitated, he was hit on the head with a gun butt and forced to hand over access. As per a report by PTI, the robbers put out a gun on the manager’s head and ran away with a cash box. Police are also checking the lockers to see whether anything else was taken. The gang also escaped with gold, silver, and around Rs 35 lakh in cash. The exact amount and full list of stolen items are expected to be known as the probe progresses.
How were the robbers able to flee so quickly?
The Indian Express, quoting eyewitnesses stated that there was no security guard present at the branch when the robbery was held. “There was no one to stop them. It all happened very fast,” a customer present at the bank said. Police said that the gang completed the robbery in 20 minutes and had already fled before they could reach the bank.
What action has the police taken?
Superintendent of Police Manish Khatri reached the site after the incident, and a high alert was issued across the district. Police have set up blockades and checkpoints, sealed exit points, and also formed special teams to track down the accused. CCTV footage from inside the bank and nearby areas is being examined, while statements from employees and customers are also being recorded to reconstruct the sequence of events and trace the gang’s escape route.