Chandigarh, May 2: Six armed men robbed Rs 1.33 crore from the cash van of Axis Bank after shooting at its driver at Banur town, 30km from Chandigarh, on the busy Patiala-Zirakpur highway on Tuesday morning.
Police said the van (PB-10-EH-0941) was headed to the bank branch near Chitkara University when the six robbers in two vehicles, including a Scorpio, looted it at 10.10am. The cash van driver was rushed to a hospital in nearby Rajpura.
According to sources, the robbers followed the vehicle for a few minutes before intercepting it on the highway near Chitkara University and Gian Sagar institutes. While the ones in the Scorpio robbed the van, the white Honda Amaze car was used as a cover.
According to eyewitness Raju of Ludhiana, one of the youths in his 20s snatched the gun of a guard and then opened fire. The driver sustained bullet injuries in the arm. The accused opened the van and took away the box with the cash. They abandoned the car at crime spot and fled in the Scorpio towards Chandigarh.
Deputy inspector general (DIG) Sukhchain Singh Gill, who reached the spot with Patiala SSP S Bhupathi, said, “The criminals were aware of the cash van’s movement. The Honda Amaze car was stolen from Banur on April 11. This indicates someone with links with local criminals is involved.”
ADGP (law and order) Rohit Chaudhry and Patiala Range IG AS Rai also visited the spot.
ALERT SOUNDED
The police set up checkpoints and alerted Haryana Police as some roads in the area lead to Ambala and Panchkula from the Patiala-Zirakpur highway.
An alert was sounded across Punjab and vigil was stepped up.
Passengers on all buses leaving Punjab through the Rajpura-Ambala highway were checked. Police suspect the robbers and their accomplices may try to smuggle out the cash in buses.
Meanwhile, the police are scanning CCTV footage in the area.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
