PATNA: In a daring robbery attempt outside a branch of Axis Bank in Bihar’s Saharsa town on Thursday noon, a man was shot at by two men who tried to snatch a bag containing Rs 30 lakh from him but failed.
Neeraj Kumar Singh, 35, received a bullet in his stomach and managed to fend off the snatching bid. The two men who fired at him from locally-made pistols managed to escape on a motorcycle. The entire episode, which took place in the crowded Maroofganj market area of the town, was caught on CCTV camera.
“The victim was rushed to a private clinic nearby, where he was operated upon. He is out of danger now,” said Saharsa SP Ashwini Kumar. “Raids are being carried out to arrest the two men who perpetrated the crime. CCTV footage of the incident outside the bank is proving helpful,” he added.
Sources said Singh worked as a collection agent with IndusInd Bank in the northern Bihar district and was at Axis Bank with cash of Rs 30 lakh kept in a cloth bag to deposit it. A soon as he began climbing the steps of the Axis Bank branch, one of the robbers came swiftly from behind and tried to snatch away the bag. But Singh fought back and tried to run into the bank.
One of the robbers then took out a pistol and shot at Singh from close range. As Singh fell on the ground, a bystander came to him to help. But the robber with the pistol tried to snatch the money bag again. He failed and ran away. His accomplice was waiting nearby on a motorcycle and the duo sped away.
The incident prompted the Opposition BJP leaders to renew their attack on Bihar’s Nitish Kumar-led government. “The chief minister has been saying that crime rate fell drastically after prohibition was imposed. But such incidents in broad daylight are reminders that the morale of criminals is on a high and that there is little decline in crime rate in the state,” said Prem Kumar, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.