Bank robbery in Mohali, Rs 4.8L gone in 2 minutes

Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 17

In a broad daylight robbery, two unidentified men looted Rs4.8 lakh at gunpoint from an all-woman branch of Punjab National Bank near Cama Hotel in Phase 3A here today.

According to the police, the robbers went inside the bank during the lunch break (around 1.40 pm). They had their faces covered with a mask/handkerchief and were wearing gloves.

Five women employees were present inside the bank at the time of the incident. Flashing a knife, one of the robbers, who was wearing a cap, threatened the employees. He told them to keep sitting without raising the alarm.

In the meantime, his accomplice picked cash from a counter by pointing a gun at a woman employee and put the money in a briefcase. After committing the crime, the robbers fled from the spot.

The robbery was executed in nearly two minutes. The incident was recorded on a CCTV camera at the bank.

While fleeing, the handkerchief of a robber used by him to cover his face fell.

According to sources, the miscreants had come in a white Hyundai i20 car. However, the police have not confirmed this information.

No security guard was present inside the branch, where all employees were women.

This apparently helped the robbers commit the crime with ease. The Phase 3A market where the branch is located often remains empty as only a few showrooms are opened.

SSP Kuldeep Chahal, SP (City) HS Virk and Inspector Rajiv Kumar, SHO of the Mataur police station, along with police teams, visited the spot. Virk said, “We are trying to identify the miscreants through the footage of CCTV cameras installed inside and outside the bank. It looks like they were holding a gun and a knife in their hands. However, no one was hurt in the incident. We have started an investigation. The district borders have been sealed to prevent the robbers from escaping to another district or state.”

Virk said the miscreants were apparently in their 30s.

According to the police, the miscreants did not take anyone hostage while robbing the bank.

A case under Section 392 (punishment for robbery) of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered in this regard at the Mataur police station.

No security guard at the bank

No security guard was present inside the branch, where all employees were women. This apparently helped the robbers commit the crime with ease. The Phase 3A market, where the branch is located, often remains empty as only a few showrooms are opened.