Singrauli bank robbery exposes major security and policing gaps:No guard in bank, police reached late, miscreants not stopped at checkpoints

Police have arrested one accused in connection with the ₹15-crore Singrauli robbery, while four others remain absconding. The stolen gold and entire cash haul are yet to be recovered. The arrested accused, Kamlesh Kumar, has been taken on eight-day police remand as the investigation continues. Investigation reveals three major lapses A ground report by Dainik Bhaskar has highlighted three key lapses: These lapses have raised serious questions about bank security and police responsiveness. Read the report… Robbery details: Gold and Cash looted The robbery took place around 1 pm on Friday at the Bank of Maharashtra branch in Baidhan. Five armed men looted nearly 10 kg of gold and ₹20 lakh in cash before fleeing. The value of the stolen gold is estimated at around ₹15 crore. No security guard for eight years The Bank of Maharashtra branch in Vindhya Nagar, Singrauli, was opened in 2018 and continues to operate from a rented building. Despite CCTV cameras being installed, no security guard has ever been deployed at the branch. The bank is staffed by a manager, deputy manager, cashier, and a peon. Local resident Bablu Shukla said he has been a customer since 2018 but has never seen a guard at the bank. Zonal Officer Omkar Prasad stated that earlier there was a provision for security guards, but the bank management discontinued it to reduce costs and improve profitability. Guards are still deployed at ATMs. Police delayed despite proximity The bank is located about 1.5 km from the nearest police station, which typically takes 7–8 minutes to reach. However, police reportedly arrived nearly 20 minutes after receiving the information. The delay allowed the robbers to escape without resistance. A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that time was lost due to preparations as the suspects were armed. Robbers escaped through checkpoints CCTV footage shows the robbers fleeing on motorcycles. They passed through Masjid Tiraha and Ambedkar Chowk—areas where police checkpoints are usually present—but were not stopped. The accused reportedly traveled from Masjid Tiraha via Tulsi Marg to Ambedkar Chowk and then escaped towards Bijpur Road, eventually entering Chhattisgarh. They covered approximately 35 km in 20–25 minutes. By the time CCTV footage was analyzed, it was too late. Questions have been raised over why other checkpoints were not alerted through wireless communication. Alarm system ineffective The bank is equipped with an alarm system with switches accessible to the manager, cashier, and deputy manager. However, officials admitted that the system is ineffective. Zonal Manager Omkar Prasad said that even if the alarm is triggered, no response is received. He added that the alarm system should ideally be connected to the police control room. The bank has informed its headquarters in Pune and is now considering implementing a centralized monitoring system to track activities across branches. Suspicion over new iPhone leads to arrest According to RPF Station In-Charge Ramvilas, a suspect was identified on the Singrauli–Patna train due to suspicious behavior. The man was wearing ordinary clothes but carrying a new iPhone, which raised suspicion. He also appeared uncomfortable and was holding a bag tightly. Acting on this, he was detained at Rehdi station. When he attempted to flee, suspicion intensified, and he was taken to the RPF station. He identified himself as Kamlesh Kumar, a resident of Nalanda. Accused tried to mislead police Police recovered ₹15.20 lakh in cash and 61 grams of gold from Kamlesh. During questioning, he initially claimed the money was borrowed for his mother’s medical treatment. However, when police contacted his family, the claim was found to be false. Under further interrogation, Kamlesh confessed to his involvement in the robbery. Other accused still on the run Sources indicate that another suspect was also on the same train but managed to escape. The remaining three accused are believed to have fled towards Chhattisgarh. CSP Umesh Prajapati said that photos of the accused have been circulated in neighboring states and arrests are expected soon. Serious questions on security and policing The incident has exposed critical gaps in both banking security and police response mechanisms. From the absence of guards to delayed response and failure to alert checkpoints, the Singrauli robbery highlights systemic lapses that allowed the criminals to escape with ease.