Vijayapura: In one of the biggest bank robberies reported in recent years, unidentified assailants looted cash and gold worth over ₹21 crore from an SBI branch in Vijayapura on Tuesday evening. Police officials confirmed that the robbers, armed with guns, executed the heist during closing hours and fled using a vehicle later found to be fitted with a fake number plate.

Speaking to the media, Vijayapura Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi revealed that around five robbers were involved in the incident. “The accused barged into the bank between 6:30 and 7:30 pm, locked up six bank employees and four customers inside a room, and tied their hands and legs with plastic bands before looting the valuables. Initial estimates indicate that ₹1 crore in cash and nearly 20 kilograms of gold ornaments, packed in 398 bundles, were stolen. The total loss is valued at ₹21 crore,” he said.

According to the investigation, one of the robbers had entered the branch earlier and waited until closing time when the lockers were open. At gunpoint, the gang overpowered the staff, collected the valuables, and escaped towards Pandharpur. Panic spread among customers who had deposited their jewelry for safekeeping, as many fear they may not recover their assets.

Police have constituted eight special teams to track down the gang. The getaway vehicle was traced to Hulajanti, in Maharashtra where investigators also recovered a small amount of cash and a packet of gold. However, the vehicle was found to bear a fake registration plate, suggesting a carefully pre-planned operation.

SP Nimbargi assured swift action. “We have strong leads and are confident of arresting the culprits at the earliest. The teams are working in coordination across districts to nab the accused,” he said.

Meanwhile, questions are being raised over the absence of the security guard, who had reportedly been on leave for three months, leaving the bank without full protection. Customers who had pledged gold at the branch are in shock, with many demanding answers from the bank authorities. The Vijayapura heist has sparked concern over the rising trend of high-value robberies in semi-urban Karnataka, prompting calls for stronger security measures in financial institutions.