Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
In a dramatic pre-dawn heist attempt, unidentified miscreants triggered a powerful gelatin blast to break open the shutter of Maharashtra Gramin Bank in Vaijapur, sparking a fire that ravaged the premises. Despite the blaze, Rs 25 lakh in cash and 47 lockers inside the strong room were unharmed.
The incident occurred around 3 AM near the Maharana Pratap Singh statue, close to the local police station. Exploiting the absence of security personnel, four individuals arrived in a car (MH 14 BX 7988) and used explosives to gain entry. The force of the detonation led to an immediate fire inside the branch.
PI Shyamsundar Kauthale and Constable Dnyaneshwar Mete, patrolling nearby, rushed to the site upon hearing the blast. Spotting the officers, the suspects fled on foot, abandoning their vehicle. Two of them suffered minor burns from the explosion but managed to escape. The fire destroyed ATM cards, cheque books, DDs, loan documents, electronic equipment, and office furniture causing damages worth approximately Rs 15 lakh. However, the flames did not reach the vault, preserving customer deposits and lockers. Branch manager Bajrang Dhaka assured that no depositor has faced any loss. “All customer data is secure. Banking operations will continue as normal,” he stated. Senior officers, including SP Vinay Rathod, Deputy SP Bhagwat Funde, and forensic experts, inspected the site later in the morning.
Manhunt launched
A case has been registered at Vaijapur Police Station, and three dedicated teams have been formed to nab the culprits. The abandoned car yielded key evidence a sickle, crowbar, electric cutter, and multiple fake number plates.
Initial investigation revealed that the accused avoided CCTV surveillance by jumping the compound wall from an adjacent house and parking the vehicle in a blind spot. However, a piece of the shattered shutter struck their car during the explosion, forcing them to abandon it.
Footage from Shivrai Road shows the gang arriving from Shivrai village, but their escape route remains unverified.
Crime Trail Grows
Despite attempts to evade detection, the gang left behind a trail of evidence. Police are reviewing additional CCTV footage and probing vehicle registration details to trace the suspects.
Authorities believe the attempted robbery was planned with precision but failed due to the unexpected fire and prompt police response.