They are also seen threatening and hitting the bank employees. Santosh Kumar and the other injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead. The accused fled on motorcycles and also snatched the pistol of the security guard, a senior police official said. No arrests have been made so far. Investigation is on to trace the accused. Sixteen people, including 10 customers and 6 staff members, were held hostage at gunpoint by the robbers. When they tried snatching money from cashier Santosh Kumar, he resisted, upon which they fired two bullets into his body.
Earlier in September, two private security guards of a bank were killed by unidentified assailants in a bank robbery attempt in Noida. A previous report by PTI states that earlier, burglars struck two automated teller machines (ATMs) in Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala making away with Rs 35 lakh in the early hours. Police suspect the involvement of a single gang in the incident. Similarly, an ATM of a nationalised bank at Irumbanam in Thrippunithura in Ernakulam district was also looted.
(With agency inputs)