Rs 10-crore robbery at Muthoot in Siliguri

TT, 25 August 2019, Siliguri: A gang of armed robbers barged into an office of Muthoot Finance Limited, a private finance company that offers cash loan against gold deposits, on Burdwan Road, one of the busiest thoroughfares here on Saturday afternoon and decamped with cash and gold worth over Rs 10 crore.

In the last five years, this is one of the "biggest across the state" in terms of the value of the heist, said a police source. The volume of gold robbed from the office would be in excess of 30kg, but the final assessment is yet to be made, the source added.

"These days, banks are very cautious in granting cash loans to people. This has created an opportunity for such companies, which are offering loans against gold and people are queuing up as the process of securing a loan is very easy," said a police source referring to the sudden mushrooming of these companies.

Police records reveal that this is the sixth incident of robbers targeting Muthoot's offices in Bengal in the past five years. In December last year, a gang decamped with cash and gold worth around Rs 8.5 crore from its office in Asansol. Also, there had been three other robberies at offices of the company in Calcutta and surrounding areas, including one at Park Street.

Around five years ago, cash and gold worth over Rs 14 crore was looted from the company's office at Benachity in Durgapur, said an officer.

As the news of the daring heist spread, senior officers of Siliguri Metropolitan Police rushed to the spot and initiated a probe to obtain more information about the miscreants and the loss.

The police have also intensified checking in different roads and streets of the city and are checking out CCTV footages to intercept the gang, said a source. The cops have learnt from eyewitnesses that at around 4pm, a gang of four-five persons who were carrying firearms, reached the office of Muthoot Finance Limited on Burdwan Road.

"Posing as prospective customers, two of them entered the office. It is clear that they had drawn up the plan before, as they were even carrying some gold and approached the executives at the front counter. Three others meanwhile, were waiting outside," said a source.

As the duo started talking to the concerned staff, suddenly they took out firearms. Brandishing the firearms, they asked the staff to hand over the cash and gold that was there at the branch.

"A peon tried to stop them but the duo beat him badly. They then started intimidating the employees that they would open fire if the cash and gold were not handed over to them," said an employee.

Meanwhile, three others who were waiting outside tried to get in. The security guard, who was there at the entrance and was on alert as he heard the commotions inside, tried to stop them.

"They attacked him and beat him up. After overpowering him, the other three entered inside. They then took all the gold and cash and fled the spot," the source added.

The employees, who were shocked over the attack, rushed to help the peon and the security guard, both of whom had sustained injuries.

Meanwhile, some others called up Siliguri police station. "We are checking CCTV footage of the area to find out whether the gang members fled in a car or in other vehicles. This is because the employees took time to react and come out of the office. By that time, the miscreants had fled and thus, the employees did not have a clear idea on which vehicle they used while scooting," said a police officer.

The injured have been shifted to a nursing home, where they are still under treatment.

"They were badly thrashed. Both of them are under observation and are in stable condition," the officer added.

Indira Mukherjee, the deputy commissioner (zone I) of Siliguri Metropolitan Police, reached the spot, along with other officers. Later, Amitabha Maiti, deputy commissioner (headquarters), also visited the office.