Ludhiana PNB branch robbery solved within 48 hours with arrest of peon, four others

Ludhiana police have recovered ₹3.09 lakh of the total ₹7.44 lakh stolen in the PNB branch robbery from the possession of the accused

Police solved the bank robbery at Punjab National Bank’s Detwal branch within 48 hours with the arrest of five accused, including a class four employee of the bank itself. One other aide is still at large. Police have recovered ₹3.09 lakh from the possession of the accused.

Ludhiana PNB branch robbery was solved within 48 hours with the arrest of the bank’s peon and four others. (HT File)

The arrested accused, Rupinder Singh of Talwara, Inderjit Singh of Gondpur, Ravi Sahota of Lakshami Puri of Salem Tabri, Somnath of Nangal village and Kuldeep Singhof Talwara, were arrested from the cremation ground in Baranhara village where they had assembled to execute another robbery on Saturday.

The one aide who is yet to be arrested is a residents of Jalandhar rural area.

Police also recovered a .12 bore double barrel rifle, .32 bore pistol, 14 bullets, seven shells, while impounding two motorcycles.

Commissioner of police Kaustubh Sharma said Rupinder Singh and Inderjit Singh led the gang.

The former is a security guard and he possesses a licenced rifle, while inderjit Singh runs a sand mining business. Ravi Sahota worked as a driver and Kuldeep Singh worked as a peon at the Punjab National Bank’s Detwal branch where the robbery took place.

Kuldeep’s brother was a convict in a double murder of Moga deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Balraj Singh Gill and a certain Monica Kapila, who were killed at a farm house at Hambran road on February 1, 2012.

Commissioner of police said Kuldeep Singh had planned the robbery and passed the information onto the other accused before asking them to break in at around 4 pm.

“On August 11, Kuldeep Singh gave a signal to his aide to barge in the bank. Following the information provided by Kuldeep Singh, the accused directly went to the cabin of the cashier and robbed ₹7.44 lakh in cash at gunpoint. The accused had executed the crime within four minutes and escaped,” he added.

Joint commissioner of police (JCP, city) Narinder Bhargav said the accused had procured more weapons to execute other robberies after decamping with the cash.

He added that Inderjit Singh is already facing trial in three cases related to drugs and snatching in the cities of Moga and Raikot.

Another case under sections 399 (dacoity), 402 (assembling for dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code, sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been lodged against the accused at PAU police station.

Police have launched a manhunt for the arrest of the sixth accused..