CCpur SBI branch robbed of Rs 15 lakh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 02 2024: An amount of around Rs 15 lakh has been looted from a branch office of the State Bank of India located at K Salbung village, Churachandpur district by some unidentified armed miscreants today afternoon.

Unidentified armed miscreants numbering around four/ five entered the bank and overpowered the staff and security personnel deployed in the bank.

One of the robbers wore a helmet while others wore face masks and caps.

The armed miscreants threatened the staff of the bank and others who were inside the bank premises by opening fire and took all the money from counter number 2, amounting to around Rs 15 lakh, sources said.

While the bulk of the looted amount belonged to SBI, a portion of it belonged to the bank's customers who had come there to either withdraw or deposit money.

CCpur SBI branch robbed of Rs 15 lakh

The armed miscreants fired a shot inside the cabin of the Branch Manager and another shot outside the premises of the bank.

One bullet was also recovered from the front of counter number 3 .

The armed miscreants opened all drawers and searched for money before they fled from the spot toward Kangvai, said the sources.

Soon after the incident, a team of Churachandpur district police rushed to the bank and inspected the crime scene before launching a search operation to apprehend the armed miscreants involved in looting the bank and recover the looted money.

A case has also been registered at Churachandpur police station regarding the incident for further investigation, said the sources.

It was the third time banks have been looted in Churachandpur district since the violent crisis erupted.

In July last year, miscreants looted Rs 1.2 crore and several other items including a few gold jewellery items from a Churachandpur branch of Axis Bank.

The looting came to light on July 10, when the sales manager of the branch, Paokhankhual Lethil, went to the bank at around 1.30 pm.

The bank had been closed since the violent conflict broke out.

The sales manager said that a hole had been drilled in the rear side of the bank's concrete building, which was believed to be the entry point for the looters.

The two-storey building houses different shops, including an Airtel outlet.

On May 3 midnight, a mob broke into the Churachandpur branch of Manipur Cooperative Bank and looted cash worth over Rs 11 lakh.

The mob also vandalised the bank and also took away six computers, among others.