Over Rs 1 crore in old notes looted from Odisha bank

Bhubaneswar: Armed dacoits on Sunday night decamped with over Rs 1.15 crore from the Dhenkanal branch of Odisha Gramya Bank.

According to the police, the dacoits broke into the Gramya Bank and looted Rs 1.15 crore of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations. The looted money consisted of old currency notes, which are believed to have been exchanged by customers after the Centre’s demonetisation initiative on November 8. The police, quoting bank officials, said three boxes of cash were broken by the unidentified men. The burglars broke 18 locks, including three in the strong room.

There was around Rs 8.85 crore in total 13 boxes of the bank, which was to be deposited with the RBI, but the robbers broke three of them. “Old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 100 amounting Rs 1.15 crore has been looted from the bank,” Nabakishore Sahu, branch manager, informed. The bank was closed for the last three days and it was yet to be ascertained when the robbers struck. Surprisingly, the bank is hardly a stone’s throw away from the town police station.

While no guard was on duty during the time of the loot, the police are hoping to get some leads from the CCTV footage.