Daijiworld Media Network - Davanagere (SP)

Davanagere, Jul 1: A gang that tried to take away cash kept in the strong room of a nationalized bank on the night of Thursday June 29 had to literally go back empty-handed but for a few bags of coins. About Rs 13 lac kept inside the strong room was burnt down when the thieves made an effort to open the locker door.

The incident came to light when the staff of Bank of Maharashtra located inside the Kirloskar factory premises here came to office on Friday June 30 morning.

The bank is locted in a desolate space. The gang of thieves, who apparently approached the branch late night on Thursday, made an opening in the window by cutting the rods with the help of gas cutter. They then gained entry into the strong room where too they used gas cutter to make a small opening in the locker door from which they could insert their hands and pick out cash.

But as luck would have it, flames from the gas cutter partly charred the entire cash amounting to Rs 13.24 lac stored inside the locker. The thieves thereafter left behind the partially burnt currency note bundles and took away Rs 37,000 in the form of Rs 10 coins found there.

The thieves seemed to be intelligent and experienced. They took away the siren horn and DVR of CCTV camera. Bank officials have exuded confidence of getting the burnt notes replaced through Reserve Bank of India as the notes have been partially burnt and their serial numbers are legible.

Local police inspector, Laxaman Naik, sub-inspector, Hanumanthappa Shirehalli, sniffer dogs and finger print experts visited the spot. A case stands registered in the local police station.