Baripada: In a daring daylight heist, a group of armed robbers looted around ₹20 lakh from the State Bank of India (SBI) branch at the busy Bahalda Bazaar under Bahalda police limits in Mayurbhanj district around 10:30 AM on Thursday.
According to reports, five men wearing helmets entered the bank premises between 10:00 and 10:30 AM. At gunpoint, they locked the bank from the inside. One of the robbers struck the branch manager on the head with the butt of his gun, while another staff member was assaulted with an iron rod.
At the time of the robbery, more than 18 customers were inside the bank. The robbers held them hostage for nearly 30 minutes before making off with the cash.
Shockingly, the crime took place just 200 meters from Bahalda police station.
“Our investigation is underway. The incident occurred between 10:00 and 10:30 AM, shortly after the bank opened. It appears that five individuals were involved. Since they took away the DVR, we are unable to retrieve CCTV footage from inside the bank, but we are trying to obtain footage from external sources. We are investigating all angles, and our forensic team and dog squad are on the scene. After collecting scientific evidence, we aim for an early breakthrough. The looted amount is around ₹20 lakh, and we are making all efforts to apprehend the culprits soon,” said Mayurbhanj SP Varun Guntupalli while addressing reporters.
