In what could be termed as a shocking incident of day-light robbery, two armed men looted around Rs 6 lakhs from the staff of Vijaya Bank, bound for Saikul branch in between Champhai village and Litanpokpi bridge area this morning.
The incident took place at around 11 in the morning when Laishram Romen branch manager Vijay Bank Saikul II branch along with four staff members namely M Benhur Kom, Asst Branch Manager, N Bijaya Devi, who works as a clerk, Md Abdula an armed guard, and Laishram Priyananda were travelling in a Alto car, registration number MN50 A 5058, with the around 10 lakh cash.
It may be mentioned that the armed guard, Md Abdula was reportedly travelling without any arm at the time of the incident.
When enquired upon by IFP on the incident Laishram Romen said, “The two masked men halted their car at gun point and took our mobile phones. After that they took me to a hillock by pointing gun on my head and demanded to hand over the cash to them”.
He continued, “The masked men threatened to shoot all of us and we had no option but to hand over the money to them”. After taking the money the robbers also took away the mobile sim cards and threatened them of dire consequences if they tried to inform anyone.
Romen added that they have kept Rs 6 lakhs in a bag, which the robbers took away. There was Rs 4 lakhs kept hidden inside the car, which the robbers failed to notice and left it behind, he said.
Further he pointed out that the motor cycle was a modified bike and registration plate was removed and the two masked men talked among themselves in Kuki dialect.
The bank condemn such unwanted action and threat to them which they are working in the interest of the public to end the suffering of the demonetization, he added.
Assistant branch manager, M Benhur Kom said that though he is Kom he can speak Kuki dialect. “I briefly talked with the robbers asking them the reason for such action. One of them told me that they had earlier requested the bank for exchange of old notes, which the bank denied. So they settled for the loot”, he said.
Source: Imphal Free Press
