Bank of India branch looted; case solved within minutes

Tirupati, Aug 14 (UNI) Two youth today looted Rs 7.54 lakh from the Bank of India's (BoI) Bairagipatteda branch here at gun-point, but landed in the police dragnet within 30 minutes of the crime.

Addressing a press conference here, Chittoor Superintendent of Police Shashidhar Reddy said the culprits, Rajesh Kumar (25) and Suresh (25), hailing from Renigunta, near here, entered the bank wearing helments and robbed the sum at gun-point from the cash counter at around 1420 hrs. They then fled the scene on a motor cycle.

Police, upon being alerted by one Advocate Ugender Reddy, swung into action and caught the culprits.

The entire amount, a motor cycle with fake registration number, pellets and explosives, sickle, knife, petrol bomb, packed dummy bomb and chilly powder were recovered from the offenders, the SP added.

Mr Reddy said that during interrogation, the accused confessed to have also committed the Karur Vysya Bank robbery on July 7 at Khadi Colony in the temple town to clear their debts. However, the Karur Vysya Bank theft amount of Rs 9.50 lakhs was yet to be recovered from them.

The SP announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for Renginuta SI Ravi and Rs 5,000 for East Police station SI Satyanarayana for their swift action in cracking the case. BoI Manager Sanath Kumar also announced a reward of Rs 5,000 each to both the Sub-Inspectors.

UNI