A group of six armed robbers looted an Odisha Gramya Bank branch in the Rasalpur area of Balasore district on Tuesday afternoon. The robbers entered the bank at gunpoint, assaulted the branch manager, stole cash, and escaped within a few minutes.
Six Masked Robbers Arrived on Bikes
According to police, the incident took place at around 3:15 pm. Six masked men arrived on three motorcycles and parked them on the roadside. Four of them entered the bank while the remaining two stayed outside to keep watch.
Staff and Customers Held at Gunpoint
After entering the bank, one robber caught hold of the cashier while another pointed a gun at Branch Manager Rajib Kumar Behera. The other two robbers closed the bank’s main entrance and threatened the staff and customers inside. They ordered everyone to switch off their mobile phones and also snatched mobile phones from some customers.
Manager Assaulted While Trying to Raise Alarm
The robbers collected all the cash available at the cashier’s counter. Before leaving, they threatened the branch manager not to inform the police. However, when the manager tried to activate the emergency alarm, the robbers allegedly attacked him. He suffered head injuries during the assault.
CCTV Evidence Destroyed
Before escaping, the robbers removed the hard disk of the bank’s computer in an apparent attempt to destroy the CCTV footage. Police said the entire robbery was completed within five to seven minutes.
Police Begin Investigation
After receiving information about the incident, a team from Balasore Sadar Police reached the bank and started an investigation. According to the Investigating Officer, around 30 customers and bank staff were present inside the branch when the robbery took place.
Cash Amount Yet to Be Confirmed
The robbers escaped with the cash that had been deposited by customers at the bank counter. The exact amount stolen has not yet been determined. Bank authorities are yet to file a formal complaint with the police, and further investigation is underway. More details will be released soon.
