Mangaluru: Masked gang robs Kotekar Co-Op. bank, steal valuables worth Rs 5 crore.

Mangaluru: Masked gang robs Kotekar Co-Op. bank, steal valuables worth Rs 5 crore.

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, January 17, 2025: In a shocking incident, a gang of five masked assailants threatened the staff and customers of the Kotekar Co-operative society at K C Road by brandishing guns  on January 17, Friday and escaped with all gold ornaments and cash from the bank.

Police said that the gang, speaking in Hindi, armed with machetes and a pistol, threatened the staff and forced the manager to open the strong room. They looted cash and gold jewelry stored in a Godrej locker. Preliminary estimates suggest the total value of the stolen items to be approximately Rs 4 to 5 crores.

The suspects also damaged a printer, forcibly took mobile phones from the staff, and snatched a ring from the CCTV technician present at the time. The group fled the scene in a black car, heading towards K.C. Road Junction. Mangalore City Police have registered the case under Crime No. 12/2025 u/s 126(2),127(7),309(2)(4),351,324(3) rw 3(5) and ARMS Act 3(1), 4(25)1B(b), 27, and have formed multiple teams to investigate the incident:

In the wake of the incident, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is currently visiting Mangaluru, held an emergency meeting with senior police officials and issued strict instructions for the swift apprehension of the culprits. Following the conclusion of a program by the Medical Education Department, a meeting was held with senior officials, including IGP of the Western Range Amit Singh, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, SP Yatish, and other senior officials.

After receiving detailed information about the incident, the Chief Minister expressed his displeasure over the event. "Why did this happen when you all were present? How did the culprits manage to escape so easily? How many toll booths did they cross? Why didn’t you tighten security at the toll booths?" the Chief Minister questioned the officials. Police informed the Chief Minister that there were no security personnel at the cooperative society bank, with only five or six staff members present during the incident.

The Chief Minister directed that stringent checks be conducted at all toll booths and that a blockade be set up across four districts. He further instructed that the culprits be apprehended swiftly and handed over for strict legal action. The incident occurred, a day after a robbery incident outside a financial institution in Bidar district.