Bank Robbery: Rs.14 Lakh Cash and 5 Kg Gold Jewellery Stolen from Manappuram Gold Loan Bank
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A shocking robbery took place at the Manappuram Gold Loan Bank branch in Charkhi Dadri on Thursday night. Thieves managed to steal Rs 14 lakh in cash and 5 kilograms of gold jewelry, despite the bank being in a well-secured area, just 15 steps away from Parshuram Chowk. The crime was discovered early on Friday morning when the security guard arrived at the bank at around 9:30 am.
Upon reaching the bank, the security guard found the lock broken and the shutter open. The bank manager and senior police officials were immediately notified. Both the CIA and FSL teams were called to gather evidence, but as of Friday evening, no trace of the thieves had been found. Early investigations suggest that the robbery might have been carried out with the help of a bank employee.
Details of the Theft
According to the investigation led by DSP Headquarters Dheeraj Kumar, there was no security guard assigned to the bank during the night. The thieves took advantage of this and began by breaking the main shutter. Afterward, they broke the grill lock and made their way to the strong room. The thieves then accessed the safe in the strong room. This safe requires two different keys to open, but instead of breaking the locks, the thieves simply used the keys and stole the valuables.
The security guard, Shiva, discovered the crime the following morning when he arrived at the bank. He found the shutter open and the lock broken. Shiva quickly informed the bank’s senior manager, Prayas Khatri, who then contacted the police.
Stolen and Unstolen Items
Approximately seven kilograms of gold jewelry was stored in the bank at the time of the robbery. Of this, five kilograms were stolen, while two kilograms were left untouched in the safe. Interestingly, the thieves did not take 750 grams of fake gold jewelry that was also stored in the safe. It remains unclear why they decided to leave these items behind.
In a related incident, a case had already been registered on April 21, 2025, against three individuals, including two bank officials, for approving a fake loan of Rs 39.20 lakh using fake jewelry.
Security Lapses
The safe in the strong room was protected by five locks, three of which were broken by the thieves. The remaining two were opened using keys. The bank had four CCTV cameras installed on the premises, but the thieves cut their wires before committing the robbery. The CCTV system in the Dadri branch was connected to a control room in Kerala, but the recording device (DVR) was not installed at the branch. Although the police have seized the memory card from the CCTV cameras, the reason why the security system failed to detect the crime is still under investigation.
Unanswered Questions
There are several critical questions regarding the security failure at the bank:
- Why was there no security guard posted during the night shift, even though gold jewelry worth about Rs 6.5 crore was stored in the bank?
- Why were the locks of the strong room safe opened using keys instead of being broken into?
- Despite a previous case involving bank officials approving fake loans, why was the security system not strengthened?
- Why was there no detection of a power failure that left the bank without electricity since 11 am on Thursday, which lasted until the bank closed at 7 pm?
Ongoing Investigation
The Manappuram Gold Loan Bank has lodged a formal complaint with the police, and the investigation is ongoing. As of now, a case has been registered against unknown persons, and the authorities are working to uncover more details about the robbery.
This incident raises serious concerns about the bank’s security measures and the involvement of potential insiders. The investigation will hopefully shed light on how such a well-planned robbery took place in the first place and why the security system failed to prevent it.
