BALASORE: In a daring daylight heist, six armed miscreants looted cash from the branch of Odisha Gramya Bank in Rasalpur area here at gunpoint after assaulting its manager on Tuesday.
Police said six bike-borne miscreants wearing masks arrived at the bank at around 3.15 pm. After parking their bikes at the roadside, four robbers entered the bank while the rest two stood guard outside.
Police said after entering the bank, one of the miscreants caught hold of the cashier at the counter while another detained branch manager Rajib Kumar Behera at gunpoint. The other two closed the main entrance of the bank and threatened the staff and customers present inside to switch off their mobile phones. They also reportedly snatched mobile phones of some of the customers at gunpoint.
After collecting all the cash from the cashier, the miscreants reportedly warned the manager not to inform police. However, when Behera tried to activate the emergency alarm, the robbers allegedly assaulted him. The bank manager suffered head injuries in the assault.
Subsequently, the robbers removed the hard disk of the bank computer to destroy the CCTV footage before escaping on their bikes. Police said the heist was carried out within five to seven minutes.
On being informed, a team from Balasore Sadar police reached the bank for investigation. IIC Ajay Kumar Murmu said nearly 30 customers and staff were present inside the bank when the heist took place.
The miscreants managed to steal the cash deposited by customers at the counter. The exact amount of cash stolen from the branch is yet to be ascertained. The bank authorities are yet to lodge a complaint with the police. Further investigation is underway, the IIC added.