Tension prevailed in Parikhi (Chandipur) under the Sadar police station in the district on Wednesday after unknown miscreants carried out a series of loots on Tuesday night.
It was alleged that unidentified miscreants not only looted cash from a branch of Allahabad Bank in Parikhi area after breaking open the shutter, they also looted a mobile phone shop owned by one Manu Mandal, as well as photo studio of Bijan Parida in the same locality .
The exact amount of money that was looted from the bank is yet to be ascertained.
After the loots came to light, agitated locals blocked the village road in protest causing disruption in vehicular communications.
The agitators besides alleging that incidents of loots are occurring frequently in the area due to inaction of police demanded a patrolling vehicle for the area.
Getting information, the Sadar SDPO along with forensic team rushed to the spot and pacified the protestors and persuaded them to call off their agitation.
SDPO Pravash Pal said, “Although the miscreants broke open the grill gate and barged into the bank yet the cash chamber is intact and the cash is safe. The goons damaged the computer monitor and CCTV cameras installed in the branch . We are looking for a clue and suspect that locals as well as some professionals are involved in the crime.”
“Regarding the demand of a mobile van I have to discuss with the Superintendent of Police. However, a patrolling bike can be engaged immediately. Efforts would be made to install CCTV cameras in the prominent places of the locality. Efforts are on to nab the culprits,” he added.
Some of the locals alleged that similar incidents had occurred about few months ago yet police didn’t take suitable action to prevent reoccurrence of such incidences.
The police claimed that night patrolling was made regularly in the locality and would be further stepped up.
Notably, a State Bank of India ATM was vandalised by some unidentified miscreants near Adda Bazar under the Simulia police station in Baleswar late on Monday night. The matter came to light after fellow shop owners after hearing noise went to the spot and informed police. However, the miscreants had fled the spot before police arrived.
Earlier on December 6, unidentified miscreants looted an unspecified amount of money from an Axis Bank ATM at Tala Bazaar Market Complex in Santaragadia area and prior to it on December 4 an ATM of Indicash ATM was vandalised. Despite repeated incidents police are yet to make any breakthrough in any of these cases.