by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

• Mountain out of a mole hill

Mysore, July 20: It was around 9 pm yesterday. The Silk Factory Circle on Manandawadi Road was almost deserted, but for a few passersby. Most of the shops had downed shutters for the night.

A few persons, while passing by the Canara Bank building located near the Circle, heard peculiar sounds from within the Bank. Getting suspicious, they brought it to the notice of Murali, Proprietor of Prabheeth Bakery.

After closely listening to the sounds from the Bank, he decided that dacoits were at work and immediately alerted the Vidyaranyapuram Police.

Inspector Jayamaruthi and Sub-Inspector Shivananjappa swung into action. They passed on a message to Garuda Police, rushed a few cops to the spot and also directed the beat Police to go to the Bank premises.

Fully armed, the cops surrounded the Bank building, prepared to face any eventuality, leaving no chance for the dacoits escape.

By then, a large number of people too had gathered there, curious and thrilled to be able to witness a Police raid live. This also caused a road block and hence the Inspector ordered his men to disperse the crowd.

He then worked out a strategy to nab the 'dacoits', taking every precaution that they might be armed, meticulously planning a fool-proof raid.

The Inspector then telephoned the Bank Manager Nanjundaswami, told him about the deve-lopments and asked him to send the Bank's keys to enable the Police to storm into the Bank and nab the culprits.

The Bank Manager, along with his staff Jawaraiah, reached the premises by 10.55 pm and handed over the keys to the Inspector.

The Police, taking positions with the guns pointed towards the door, prepared for ambush.

Curious onlookers got closer once again, while some, fearing the gun shots likely to occur, looked around for space to run.

As soon as the door was opened, out walked a street dog (a brown and white spotted Terrier) meekly submissive and grateful to be released from captivity.

The anti-climax of the whole incident made the onlookers burst into laughter.

However, Inspector Jayamaruthi, who did not feel like laughing, suspected that the dacoits might have brought their dog along, and wanted to check the Bank's premises.

But the Bank Manager told him that the dog was in the habit of strolling into the Bank and said that probably, at the time of locking the Bank's doors, the dog might have been sleeping under the furniture.

Yet, the Inspector entered the Bank with his armed men, searched around thoroughly, satisfied himself that nobody was hiding and came out, this time with a broad smile.

The dog, scratching on the Bank's door, anxious to get out, had caused an alarm that had stirred the entire locality, not to mention the two-hour long drill by the Police !