Imphal: In the midst of the ethnic clashes that broke out in Manipur on May 3, miscreants looted Rs 1.2 crore and several other items including a few gold pieces of jewelry from a Churachandpur branch of Axis Bank.
The looting came to light on Monday, when the sales manager of the branch, Paokhankhual Lethil, went to the bank around 1.30 pm. The bank had been closed since the clashes erupted, which have claimed the lives of over 130 people and displaced over 60,000.
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The sales manager said that a hole had been drilled in the rear side of the bank’s concrete building, which was believed to be the entry point for the looters. The two-story building houses different shops, including an Airtel outlet.
A staff of the bank said that the branch manager was not present and that they had very little knowledge about the theft.
According to bank staff, over Rs 1.2 crore in cash and a huge quantity of gold pieces of jewelry were found looted when the bank was scheduled to be opened on Monday. The front bank door lock was found intact.
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The bank officials have lodged a complaint with the Churachandpur Police Station in connection to the theft case. The Axis Bank‘s higher authority has reportedly taken up an investigation into the case.
This is the second bank robbery in Churachandpur district in recent months. In May 2020, a State Bank of India (SBI) branch was looted of Rs 1.15 crore.
The police are yet to make any arrests in either case.