In a concerning incident in Gaya, Bihar, approximately 250 grams of jewelry has gone missing from a locker in Canara Bank’s main branch. The victim, Vandana Singh, has alleged that the bank employees themselves might have taken the jewelry. A formal complaint has been lodged with the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), and the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) has now ordered a full investigation into the matter. The local police are currently working on the case.
How the Incident Unfolded
Vandana Singh had opened a locker at Canara Bank’s District School Road branch in 2017, where she stored all her valuable jewelry, weighing about 250 grams. The locker was checked in May 2022, and at that time, everything was intact and secure. However, when she returned to Gaya on September 19, 2024, and went to the bank to access her locker, it wouldn’t open.
Initial Interaction with the Bank
When Vandana Singh encountered this issue, she immediately informed the bank manager, Ravindra Singh. The manager suggested that perhaps she had mistakenly brought the key to her home locker and advised her to go home and bring the correct key. After thoroughly checking at home, Vandana realized there was no other key.
The next day, she returned to the bank with the original key, labeled 115, which had been issued by the bank itself. Even with the correct key, the locker still wouldn’t open. At this point, the manager informed her that they would need to call a technician to open the locker.
Shocking Discovery
After the technician arrived and managed to open the locker, Vandana was shocked to discover that all her jewelry was missing. The entire contents of the locker, which had been secure just over two years ago, had disappeared.
Bank Manager’s Response
When contacted by phone around 5 p.m. on Saturday, bank manager Ravindra Singh seemed dismissive, stating that it was already evening and he wouldn’t be able to provide any information until Monday. When pressed about the urgency of the situation, he remarked that he was not authorized to give any details at the moment and abruptly ended the call.
Formal Complaint and Police Action
Following this disturbing discovery, Vandana Singh filed a formal written complaint with SSP Ashish Bharti. Taking swift action, the SSP instructed the Town DSP and Civil Lines police station to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and take appropriate action.
Ongoing Investigation
The local police are now looking into how the jewelry went missing from a secured locker in the bank and whether any bank employees were involved in the theft. With the locker being inaccessible to the customer but somehow opened for the removal of its contents, all angles are being examined, including possible insider involvement.
Conclusion
This case highlights the importance of transparency and security when it comes to bank lockers, which are trusted by customers to safeguard their most valuable possessions. Vandana Singh’s ordeal has raised concerns about the integrity of locker systems in banks and the accountability of those who manage them.
The investigation is ongoing, and it is expected that the police will uncover how the jewelry was taken and who is responsible. In the meantime, this serves as a reminder for all customers to periodically check their locker contents and ensure they maintain proper communication with their bank to avoid such incidents.
