3 more held for Gidderbaha bank robbery

The Muktsar police claimed to have arrested all the accused involved in a robbery just outside the State Bank of Patiala in Gidderbaha on May 22. The police have bagged the success under the guidance of IG Nirmal Singh Dhillon within a week.

The police recovered R11.28 lakh, one .455-bore revolver, two live cartridges, a motorcycle and an iron trunk with a chain that was used to bring the cash by bank from three robbers arrested on Friday.

Earlier, police had succeeded in arresting four of the seven-member gang along with Santro car, two pistols, a rifle, which was snatched from the bank guard and looted amount of R33.5 lakh.

Accused Balwinder Singh alias Binder, Harpreet Singh alias Happy, Kanwarbir Singh and Sukraj Singh were arrested earlier while Nanak Singh, Gurdev Singh and Kuldip Singh were arrested on Friday.

Nearly R49 lakh were looted from the bank and the guard's rifle was also snatched after the accused fired at him twice. Seven robbers had planned to divide the looted amount equally among themselves, claimed police.

Surjit Singh, senior superintendent of police, Muktsar, said, "We accepted the robbery as a challenge and from the date of the incident, we planned a strategy with the cooperation and co-ordination of my colleagues, including Narinderpal Singh, superintendent of police (headquarters) and DSP, Gidderbaha, Darshan Singh to nab the robbers."

"Different police teams led by SP (H) and the DSP, Gidderbaha, comprising station house officers of Gidderbaha, Kot Bhai, Sadar Muktsar, and Sadar Malout police stations, and CIA officials worked diligently to crack the case. Modern techniques of investigation were used to nab the remaining three robbers who have been identified as Kuldip Singh, Gurdev Singh and Nanak Singh of Amritsar," the SSP said.