Latest news with #SampatUpadhyay
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Jabalpur bank heist probe yields ‘important leads': Cops
Jabalpur: Two days after a daylight robbery at a Jabalpur bank in which 15kg of gold and Rs 5 lakh were stolen, police say they have made "significant progress" and expect arrests soon. Several suspects have been detained based on CCTV footage, and interrogation is underway, police officers said on Wednesday. The robbery took place at an ESAF Small Finance Bank branch around 8.50 am on Monday when three helmet-wearing men barged into the bank, threatened four staff members at gunpoint, and forced their way into the locker room. They fled with the gold and cash in about 20 minutes. Two accomplices were waiting outside on motorcycles, and the gang escaped towards Majholi Road, avoiding the highway. CCTV footage shows them changing clothes in Indrana village before disappearing from police radar. Police have formed over 20 teams to track the culprits. "We have detained some people based on the footage and are questioning them. The clues we have are being linked together," SP Sampat Upadhyay told TOI. According to police sources, the investigation has revealed that the accused rented a house in Sihora through a broker for recce. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Immediately Do Something if You See These Bugs In Teresina Undo The broker arranged the rental for the accused at the request of a young man from Patan. The accused are reported to be from Uttar Pradesh. Police are questioning the relevant individuals, however police did not confirm or deny it. Additional SP (Rural) Suryakant Sharma said after Indrana village, no further location trace of the accused could be found. "We have important leads and expect to arrest the accused soon," he said. On Tuesday, Jabalpur range IG Pramod Verma inspected the crime scene. The heist bore similarities to a 2022 gold loan firm robbery in Katni, and police suspect the involvement of an outstation gang. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Gone in 8 minutes: Heist in Madhya Pradesh bank, 3 armed men flee with 15 kg gold
Three armed men executed a lightning-fast heist at the ESAF Small Finance Bank in Madhya Pradesh's Khitola village on Monday morning, making off with gold and cash estimated to be worth over Rs 10 crore in less than eight minutes, police said. The robbery unfolded at exactly 9 am as the bank opened for business in the Sihora area, 45 kilometres from Jabalpur district headquarters. Bank employees had barely begun their daily routines when the motorcycle-borne trio struck with calculated precision, officers said. The suspects entered the premises one by one through an unguarded entrance, immediately brandishing country-made pistols at six staff members. 'The robbers threatened that if anyone made noise or tried to call the police, they would shoot them,' said a senior police officer. The manager activated the alarm system, but complied with demands to access the bank's gold storage. The robbers collected an estimated 10-15 kilogrammes of pledged gold and between Rs 5-6 lakh in cash before fleeing at 9.08 am, police said. The absence of security personnel proved to be a major factor, officers said. Additional SP Suryakant Sharma explained the facility's vulnerabilities: 'There was no security guard at the bank. The entry gate was left open, and there were no channel gates. When they entered the bank, there was no one to stop them.' Superintendent of Police Sampat Upadhyay rushed to the scene with fingerprint experts and investigative teams. CCTV footage from the bank and surrounding areas is being analysed. Initial estimates of stolen gold range from 10 to 15 kg, with total losses potentially reaching Rs 14 crore. The three suspects, described as young men wearing helmets and face coverings, remain at large. Dog squads have been deployed while investigators examine whether the gang possessed inside knowledge of the bank's security gaps, police said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Armed men loot 15kg gold & Rs 5L cash from Jabalpur fin bank
Jabalpur: Five armed men looted around 15 kg of gold and Rs 5 lakh in cash from the ESAF Small Finance Bank in Jabalpur's Khitola area on Monday morning after holding the staff at gunpoint. They fled on motorcycles within 20 minutes of entering the branch. The gang struck at 8.50 am, just as the bank opened after a two-day closure for Raksha Bandhan and Sunday. Three men with helmets entered the branch, where only four employees were present, and held them at gunpoint. They marched the staff to the strongroom, stuffed gold ornaments and cash into bags, and handed them to two waiting accomplices outside on motorcycles. By 9.10 am, they were speeding towards Jabalpur via the highway. The entire modus operandi of the robbery execution draws parallels with the sensational 2022 Katni gold loan branch heist when 16 kgs of gold was robbed in a similar fashion which was orchestrated by a jailed don from Bihar. Sources said the looted gold weighs about 15 kg, though police have not officially confirmed it. SP Jabalpur Sampat Upadhyay told TOI: "The exact quantity of gold or cash looted is being verified. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo CCTV footage from the bank and nearby areas are being examined. We have important leads, and the accused will be arrested soon." The branch had no security guard, making it a soft target. Sources say the timing and execution — hitting a branch without guards, right after holidays when roads are relatively empty — mirror the Katni robbery on November 26, 2022. In that case, masked gunmen stormed the Manappuram Gold Loan branch in Bargawan and looted 16 kg of gold and Rs 3 lakh in minutes. The former Katni SP S K Jain, now DIG Chambal range, said, "The said gang operates in a compartmentalised manner, with members often not knowing each other are assigned tasks. The don from inside jail, assigns different roles— some for recee, some for the actual heist, and others for transporting and hiding the loot. Gold is quickly passed on to other members to prevent recovery in case of arrest." The modus operandi in both cases sounds similar, say sources, like choosing day after a holiday for executing the robbery, targeting branches without security guards and ensuring swift disposal of loot. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
