Robbery at Kotekar Bank in Mangaluru
A brazen daylight robbery occurred at the Kotekar Agricultural Cooperative Bank on KC Road in Kotekar, Mangaluru. A gang of five to six men, aged between 25 and 35 years, entered the bank armed with pistols, swords, and knives. The robbers, wearing masks, threatened the bank staff, which included 4 to 5 employees at the time. Speaking in Hindi, the gang stole gold ornaments and other valuable items, causing an estimated loss of ₹10-12 crore. They fled the scene in a black Fiat car.
A special police team has been formed to investigate the case, and CCTV footage from the bank is being analyzed. The police are working to apprehend the culprits, whose identities remain unknown.
The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed strong displeasure over the incident, especially regarding the robbers’ easy escape. An urgent meeting was convened with senior police officials, including Western Range IGP Amit, Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, and SP Yathish. The CM questioned how the culprits managed to evade capture despite the presence of officers in the area.
Tighten security at all toll plazas and review CCTV footage, particularly near the Kerala border. Implement nakabandi (roadblocks) across four districts to intercept the robbers. Ensure the immediate capture of the culprits and initiate stringent legal action. The CM also pointed out that the absence of security personnel at the cooperative bank and the limited number of bank staff present during the robbery contributed to the incident.
