Rs 11 lakh looted from Samastipur bank in Bihar

Masked criminals looted Rs 11 lakh from the South Bihar Gramin Bank in Samastipur district on Friday. This is the third heist at the same bank branch in the district, police said.

The incident took place at the Mahmadda village branch under Pusa police station when it opened in the morning. Four armed criminals on bikes looted money from counters and chests and fled towards Muzaffarpur. "According to witnesses, all the criminals had their faces covered with helmets and masks," Pusa police station in-charge Seema Kumari told over the phone.

Sources said several customers and employees of the bank were also assaulted for protesting the loot. The criminals took the branch manager hostage at gunpoint. SP Vinay Tiwari, Sadar DSP and other police officers reached the bank and questioned the bank officials.

SDPO Md S H Fakhari said the police were trying to nab the bank robbers. When asked why criminals often targeted banks in Samastipur, he replied, "Jab pakdenge to pucchenge (he will ask them when they are caught)".

Earlier on March 15, robbers looted around Rs 20 lakh from another branch of the same South Bihar Gramin Bank at Harpur Ailoth village under Musrigharari police station. Police have not yet recovered the looted cash.