Jamshedpur, Sep 24 — In a major daylight bank robbery in Jharkhand's Jamshedpur, five armed criminals stormed a branch of Canara Bank in the Golmuri area on Thursday and escaped with a large quantity of cash and gold, officials said.
Initial reports suggest that the loot is worth several crores of rupees, although neither the bank management nor the police have officially disclosed the value of the stolen assets from the bank yet.
According to police and eyewitnesses, five masked assailants entered the bank carrying firearms. Once inside, they overpowered employees and customers at gunpoint and took control of the premises.
The robbers then collected cash from the bank's counters and forced open lockers, making away with gold pledged by customers against loans.
During the robbery, one bank employee who tried to resist was assaulted with the butt of a revolver and sustained injuries.
After executing the heist, the five criminals fled the bank on foot, triggering panic in the area.
Senior police officials, along with a large contingent of personnel, rushed to the spot soon after receiving information about the incident.
Investigators have begun collecting evidence from the bank premises, while teams of forensic and fingerprint experts have also examined the scene.
Police are scrutinising CCTV footage from the bank and nearby establishments to identify who are those behind the loot and trace their escape route.
Intensive checking operations have been launched across different parts of the city.
Several police teams have been formed to track down the accused, and raids are being conducted at suspected hideouts across the city as part of the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, the bank management is assessing the extent of the losses by reconciling cash and gold records, after which the exact value of the loot will be determined.