FEROZEPUR: Three persons sustained bullet injuries after unidentified assailants opened fire at them in an attempt to loot money from a cash van of a private bank on Ferozepur-Moga road here today.
However, armed assailants failed to lay their hands on cash worth Rs 1.63 crore in the van, as its driver, in a swift and wise move, drove off the vehicle to a nearby police station, police said. The incident occurred at around 10.15 am, when a cash van of Axis bank reached Hakumat Singh Wala branch located on Ferozepur-Moga road here.
As the employees opened the door of the van to unload the cash, assailants came in an SUV and pulled over in front of the branch and opened fire at them, leaving three persons -- guard, cash loader and cash handler injured, police added. The assailants who reportedly came on two vehicles, including an SUV, managed to flee from the spot even as police cordoned off the area to trace them.
"The driver of the vehicle showed courage and drove the vehicle to nearby police station," Ferozepur SSP Hardial Singh Mann said adding that the entire cash was saved. The injured have been admitted to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College Faridkot, he added.
SSP further said that there may be 3-4 assailants who came in an SUV and a car. "We have some leads and we will soon nab them," said SSP adding that area has been cordoned off to trace them out.
The assailants after making an unsuccessful loot attempt, set their SUV on fire about 8 km from the crime spot and fled in another vehicle.