With the support of an alert citizen and swift action by a police constable, two miscreants, who had looted Rs5.72 lakh from UCO bank’s Arvind Vihar branch at Baghmughalia on Wednesday evening were nabbed from TT Nagar. Police have recovered Rs5.09 lakh in cash from their possession.
While speaking with the media persons on Thursday, DIG Raman Singh Sikarwar said that the two were trying to flee to Delhi but were nabbed with the help of police constable Pyarelal and his acquaintance Abhimanyu Vishwakarma at public toilet in TT Nagar and recovered the money from their possession. Sikarwar announced that both Pyarelal and Abhimanyu would be rewarded with Rs25,000.
The two nabbed accused were identified as Ajay Jathav (25) and Ashish alias Akash Panthi (22). They accepted to have committed the crime after recce of the bank for around five days and during which they noted that the branch had women employees and in the evening the number of customers remain very less due to which they selected the time between 4-5 pm, DIG added.
During investigation, it was confirmed that the two committed the crime very easily by reaching on foot.
In the video footage of March 29, Ashish was clearly seen in the branch moving as a customer.
The police have recovered bag used in the robbery to carry the money and air pistols used in the crime.
Mobile phones used by the accused and the remaining money are yet to be recovered. Sikarwar informed that Ajay was released around a year ago in another robbery case of Andhra Bank at RRl in Bagh Sewania. In the robbery, Rs14 lakh were taken away using air pistols while Ashish has been booked for attempt to murder, physical assault and Arms Act by Govindpura police. Ajay’s accomplice Devendra Patel is serving jail term.
Ashish’s father work with BSNl and used to live earlier in Govindpura and presently they live in PNT colony.
Replying to a query, Sikarwar said that the miscreants were chased by some youths, but it could not be confirmed. He said that according to the RBI guidelines, banks should deploy a security guard. “We would request the district Collector for issuing prohibitory orders (under section 144 of the CrPC) in this regard.
After the order is issued, action would be taken against the bank authorities under section 188 of the IPC if the banks do not comply with the rules and regulation,” he added.