Police Encounter with Robbers who stole crores of jewellery from Indian Overseas Bank in Lucknow
Lucknow: In a major breakthrough, the police on Monday morning had an encounter with the miscreants who robbed crores of rupees by breaking into the lockers of Indian Overseas Bank in Chinhat, Lucknow. During the encounter, one of the accused was shot in the leg and apprehended, while two others managed to escape.
Details of the Encounter
According to DCP East Shashank Singh, Chinhat police were conducting vehicle checks near Laulai’s water bridge as part of their investigation into the Saturday night bank robbery. During the operation, two suspicious cars were intercepted.
When the police tried to stop them, one of the suspects opened fire with a pistol and attempted to flee into nearby fields, while the other suspects escaped. In retaliation, the police fired and injured one of the suspects, identified as Arvind Kumar, a resident of Sitakundi, Munger, Bihar. Arvind was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.
The police recovered a 315 bore pistol and a white car without a number plate from the scene. Efforts are ongoing to locate the other two suspects.
Security Lapses at the Bank
The investigation has revealed severe lapses in the bank’s security measures:
1. No Security Guard: The bank had no security guard on duty at the time of the robbery.
2. CCTV Limitations: While the bank had six CCTV cameras—two outside and four inside—only one camera captured footage of the thieves. The remaining cameras were not positioned to cover the strong room.
3. Disabled Alarm System: The thieves successfully cut the alarm system’s wire, preventing it from ringing. Experts suggest that a properly functioning alarm should have been triggered even during tampering, raising questions about its prior condition.
Police Investigation
ADCP Eastern Pankaj Singh stated that the police have collected 50 CCTV footages from the vicinity of the bank to identify and track the suspects. The poor security arrangements at the bank allowed the thieves to execute the robbery with ease and escape undetected.
Conclusion
While the arrest of one suspect is a positive development, the incident has highlighted the negligence of the bank administration in ensuring adequate security. Police are continuing their search for the remaining suspects and are closely examining the bank’s security failures.
