Police launch multi-state hunt in ₹15 crore gold, cash robbery:Faces of 3 suspects captured in relation to the incident in Singrauli bank

A day after the robbery at a Bank of Maharashtra branch in Singrauli, police sealed the premises and launched a manhunt with teams from Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. CCTV footage is being analyzed, with faces of at least three suspects captured. On Friday afternoon, five armed men looted around ₹15 crore worth of gold and ₹20 lakh in cash within 15–20 minutes, leaving customers and staff traumatized. How the robbery unfolded? The branch, located on Vindhya Nagar Road in Baidhan, was functioning normally when two men entered around 12:50 pm, followed by three others. Armed with pistols and country-made weapons, they threatened everyone, forced customers to deposit their mobile phones in one place, and fired in the air when some hesitated. Customers were made to sit against a wall with their heads down and hands on their heads. One woman said the attackers warned they would shoot even if anyone coughed. Manager threatened at gunpoint One robber stood guard at the entrance while two others kept customers at gunpoint. Another entered the manager’s cabin, pressed a gun to her temple and demanded locker keys. When she refused, saying customer lockers could not be opened, he slapped her and threatened to track her down in Chhattisgarh. Under pressure, she handed over keys to the gold loan lockers. The accused then forced her to open the strong room. Gold looted, planned execution suspected The robbers appeared to have prior knowledge of the vault. Each locker contained around 2.5 kg of gold. They opened five lockers and filled jewellery into bags, while another accomplice collected cash. Eyewitnesses said the guard at the entrance allowed people to enter but forced them to sit quietly, preventing any alarm. Escape route and clues The accused arrived on two Apache motorcycles and fled towards Chhattisgarh via Masjid Tiraha and Bijapur Road, a route connecting to Surajpur district. Police tracked them up to Balangi police station limits. One pistol was recovered after it fell during the escape. The robbers had also removed the CCTV DVR but left it behind in the chaos. Description and investigation All suspects were described as thin-built; one had long hair and wore a helmet, believed to be leading the group. They were reportedly speaking in a Bihari dialect. Police suspect detailed reconnaissance before the crime. Panic among customers As news spread, anxious customers gathered outside the bank. Many feared their pledged or stored jewellery had been stolen. Police later clarified that only gold kept against loans was targeted, not personal locker deposits. Minister Sampatiya Uike is expected to visit the district and review the situation with senior officials, including DGP Kailash Makwana.