Robbers loot Rs 14 crore gold, Rs 5 lakh cash from Jabalpur bank in daring 18-minute heist

Five robbers stole nearly 15 kg of gold worth over Rs 14 crore and Rs 5 lakh cash from ESAF Small Finance Bank’s Jabalpur branch in just 18 minutes. Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects.

Jabalpur: In a daring heist, five robbers wearing helmets decamped with 14.8 kg of gold valued at more than Rs 14 crore and Rs 5 lakh cash in less than 20 minutes from a small finance bank’s branch in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district, police said.

The branch in Khitola area was without a security guard when robbers struck on Monday morning just after the bank opened for business for the day, they said.

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The robbers looted 14.875 kg of gold kept in the locker and Rs 5 lakh cash from the bank’s branch in Sehore tehsil, located about 50 km from the district headquarters, Jabalpur rural area additional superintendent of police Suryakant Sharma told reporters.

The heist took just 18 minutes, Jabalpur Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Atul Singh said, adding the robbers came on two motorcycles and entered the branch of ESAF Small Finance Bank wearing helmets.

“The bank branch did not have a security guard. There were six staffers at the time of the incident. The robbers entered the branch at 8.50 am and came out at 9.08 am. They fled on motorcycles. We have scanned CCTV cameras. They did not have weapons in their hands. One of the robbers had a firearm tucked under his belt,” Singh said.

The bank staffers notified police 45 minutes after the incident following discussions with superior officials, the DIG said.

“Had they informed us in time, the robbers would have been caught. Efforts were on to nab the accused,” Singh added.

The bank started its day at 8 am instead of its usual opening time of 10.30 am due to the ongoing festive season, according to sources.