In Surat, a major robbery occurred at the State Bank of India (SBI) branch located on Hanuman Road in the Varachha area on Monday afternoon. Six armed robbers took approximately 50 lakh rupees in cash in just 13 minutes, holding bank employees and customers at gunpoint before fleeing.
According to the police, the robbers arrived at the bank with a complete plan. At 1:13 PM, one of the accused entered the bank under the pretext of opening a current account and inquired about the bank's operations from the service manager. Then, at 1:54 PM, five other accomplices entered the bank with pistols and executed the robbery.
The robbers first took the bank staff and 5 to 7 customers hostage. They assaulted the security guard and threatened him to remain silent. When a customer protested, a pistol was pointed at his head.
The service manager and cashier were then threatened to open the locker, from which approximately 12 lakh rupees were stolen. During this time, employees of the CMS cash van arrived at the bank with nearly 40 lakh rupees. The robbers surrounded them and stole 38 lakh rupees, leaving 2 lakh rupees with the cashier.
The role of the gunman accompanying the CMS cashier is being considered suspicious, as he made no attempt to stop the robbers. After the incident, the accused fled on three different sports bikes (Pulsar, Apache, and Splendor). The number plates on the bikes are reported to be from Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, and Valsad, which the police suspect to be fake.
To mislead the police, the robbers snatched mobile phones from bank employees and customers and discarded them at different locations. These mobiles were recovered from the Shyam Dham, Sarathana, and Khattar areas, indicating that the accused fled via the highway. The police have begun an investigation based on the robbers' language and appearance, with initial inquiries suggesting a connection to the western Uttar Pradesh and Bihar regions.
Additionally, fingerprints collected from the bank are being examined using e-Gujcop and other software. This major daytime robbery has raised serious questions about the city's security arrangements. The police are investigating from various angles and suspect that the accused may be hiding in Velanja and surrounding rural areas.
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