Bangalore, Oct 19 (IANS): A daring attempt by a techie to rob Rs.13 lakh from a private bank here Friday by threatening to blow up the place was foiled by two security guards who overpowered him when he was about to escape with the money, a police official said. The bomb was found to be a fake.
"We have arrested Pranjal Bhattacharjee, 34, under section 392 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for committing bank robbery and threatening to blow the bank up," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Krishnam Bhat told IANS here.
The dramatic incident happened around 4 p.m. at the HDFC Bank's Indiranagar branch in the eastern suburbs when the accused, who claimed to be an employee of HP India Ltd, entered the premises in a white dress with his face covered by a bandage.
According to the complaint the bank manager filed in the local police station, the techie walked up to the cash counter and asked for forms to open an account in the branch.
"When the cashier told the accused that it was not possible then as the bank's business hours were over and he should come Saturday or Monday, the techie threatened him by saying he was carrying a bomb tied around his waist and would blow it up if all the cash was not handed over to him," Bhat said citing the complaint.
By the time the accused collected Rs.13 lakh from the counter and stuffed the cash bundles in his rucksack bag, with five other employees watching the drama unfold in shock, the security guards shut the main door and pinned him down even as he was trying to escape.
"On being alerted by the bank, a sub-inspector and a beat constable rushed to the branch on the main road and nabbed the accused, who was carrying an old camera tied to two batteries with wires protruding from his waist," Bhat said.
During the preliminary interrogation, Bhattacharjee told police that he was desperately in need of cash as he was in heavy debt and wanted to clear some of them by this month-end and so he resorted to rob a bank by carrying a fake bomb with him.
"The accused said he hailed from the north-east and was living with his wife and two children in Bangalore for the last couple of years," Bhat added.