Thrissur: A robbery took place in broad daylight at the Federal Bank's Potta branch here in Kerala's Chalakudy. A lone assailant held the employees hostage and carried out the robbery during the lunch hour. Only the bank’s manager and one other employee were present at that time.
According to bank officials, the robber, wearing a jacket and a helmet, arrived at the bank on a two-wheeler around 2:12 PM, a time when most of the employees were taking their lunch break. The assailant, armed with a knife, threatened the manager and the employee before locking them in a toilet and proceeding to steal money. The cash counter was smashed open with a chair, and a total of Rs 15 lakh was taken.
Thrissur Rural District Police Superintendent B. Krishnakumar stated, “The robber came to the bank with apparent knowledge of its operations, arriving precisely during the lunch hour. He threatened the peon with a curry knife and swiftly took three bundles of cash from the counter, amounting to approximately Rs 15 lakh. Despite there being more money, only three bundles were taken.”
The police have gathered key information, including the route the thief took and details about the vehicle he used. However, Superintendent Krishnakumar stressed that although the thief spoke Hindi, it was too early to definitively identify him. “While we have information about the vehicle and the route, we cannot rule out the possibility that the assailant had help,” he added.
The bank manager recounted the events, saying, “He wore a helmet and face mask, and threatened us with a knife. He locked us in a room and demanded money. The robbery took less than three minutes to complete, and he left promptly after taking the cash.”
Chalakudy MLA Saneesh Kumar Joseph voiced concerns that the robber could be from outside the state. He said, "The police are investigating intensively, and checks have been heightened at the borders and other key locations." An extensive search has been launched to apprehend the suspect, with authorities following all available leads in the hope of quickly solving the case.
