PNB loot case: 5 held, ₹33 lakh recovered

Police said they also recovered five pistols, 16 live cartridges, three bikes, gold ornaments and ₹22.64 lakh from their possession.

The police said Friday they had cracked the sensational bank robbery on June 27, in which ₹52 lakh was looted from the Anisabad branch of PNB in Patna, with the arrest of five persons.

Arrest-handcuffs.

The central range IG of Patna, Sanjay Singh, had constituted an SIT under the supervision of city SP (West) Ashok Mishra who led the team and recovered ₹33.13 lakh.

Police said they also recovered five pistols, 16 live cartridges, three bikes, gold ornaments and ₹22.64 lakh from their possession.

The city SP said the five arrested suspects included a coaching institute teacher, karate teacher and compounder. Those arrested were identified as Aman alias Satyam Sukla alias Amit (Nalanda), compounder Praful Kumar (Sitamarhi), Sonelal (Vaishali), Ganesh Kumar Vishwakarma alias Nanhki and Harinarayan (Samastipur).

Senior SP Upendra Sharma said the city SP got a tip-off that a gang of robbers were coming to Bank Colony area of Jakkanpur after which his team laid a trap near the spot and arrested the five.

“During interrogation, the accused confessed to have committed more than 10 dacoities and robberies in the state capital,” Sharma said.

According to SSP, Aman, who runs a coaching institute and resides in Jakkanpur locality, is the mastermind of the gang.

The three vehicles used in the crime, including a scooty, were also recovered.