An attempted bank robbery in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, was reported a few days earlier. The police have identified the accused robber and it has come as a shock for everyone as the accused was a local businessman. Chandra Prakash Lokhande, who had been running an auto-parts business for about 15 years, allegedly tried to rob a bank to repay a debt of around ₹3.5 crore.
According to the police, Lokhande first studied the bank’s security arrangements. He then chose a three-day holiday period and entered the bank on Friday night after breaking the shutter.
The accused spent nearly 34 hours inside the bank. He tried to break open the lockers and the cash chest using a gas cutter, hammer, chisel, and other metal-cutting tools. Police also found evidence that he had set fire to the bank’s file section.
Around 11:30 AM on Saturday, local people noticed that the shutter of the Bank of India branch on Parasia Road had been cut. They immediately informed the police. The Kotwali police and bank officials reached the branch soon after.
Since the branch was on the first floor, police had to cross two shutters to enter the building. As soon as they entered, the accused, who was hiding inside, lit a sutli bomb (a loud firecracker) to create panic and escape.
During the chaos, the accused attacked Sub-Inspector Narayan Baghel with a sharp object, injuring his finger. Despite the injury, Baghel chased the accused and caught him at the spot. More police personnel later arrived and searched the bank.
Police recovered a gas cutter, hammer, chisel, petrol, sutli bombs, and other tools from the bank. Investigators said the accused had come fully prepared to break open the lockers.
Superintendent of Police Ajay Pandey identified the accused as Chandra Prakash Lokhande. He owns a shop called Lokhande Auto Parts on Nagpur Road and has been working in the auto-parts business for around 15 years.
During questioning, Lokhande told police that he was under heavy financial pressure. He said he owed around ₹3.5 crore, and his debt had increased over the past eight months. He planned the robbery to clear his loans.
Police said the accused had an account at the same bank and visited it regularly. During these visits, he observed the bank’s security arrangements. About four days before the incident, he visited the bank on the pretext of meeting the manager and spent nearly an hour studying the premises. He learned that no security guard stayed at the bank after working hours.
He deliberately chose a long holiday period to carry out the robbery. The bank was closed on Friday for Muharram, followed by the weekend. This gave him enough time to stay inside the bank without being noticed.
The accused also brought petrol and sutli bombs with him. Preliminary investigations suggest that he had planned to set the bank on fire and even take his own life if he was surrounded by the police.
Police later found that the accused’s total debt was close to ₹4 crore, including loans from banks and money borrowed from individuals. The debt was reportedly linked to land deals and other financial transactions. Investigators are examining his financial records.
According to eyewitnesses, the accused tried to escape after creating panic with the explosion, but the police arrested him before he could flee. Local residents said the use of explosives and weapons could have caused serious loss of life and property.
Arvind, a family friend of the accused, said Lokhande had told him that he was going out of town for three days on urgent work and asked him to look after his shop. He came to know about the incident only after seeing the news online.
Bank officials said that some employees had come to the branch on Saturday for an audit when they noticed the broken lock. They immediately informed the police, who reached the bank within minutes. The incident created panic inside the bank and in the surrounding area. More details will be released soon.
