In Surat’s Varachha area on Monday, armed robbers looted ₹50 lakh from an SBI branch and fled on a sports bike. Five to six miscreants held employees hostage at gunpoint after entering the bank while cash was being deposited. Police said the robbers entered at 1:11 PM and kept staff hostage for about 2 hours and 6 minutes. They looted cash brought by a cash van and around ₹50 lakh deposited at the counter. The accused also snatched employees’ mobile phones, delaying information to police. The incident was reported only after they escaped. Police have sealed city exits and launched a search based on CCTV footage. CCTV footage of the incident Police engaged in identifying robbers DCP Alok Kumar said, Robbers took advantage of the cash deposit process to carry out the incident. The robbers had not covered their faces.The faces of the robbers are clearly visible in the CCTV footage. Police are trying to identify them. Meanwhile, Shivpujan Singh, an employee of the cash van, stated that he was unaware of the robbery. He was sitting in the car outside and had no idea what was happening inside. He said that he neither saw anyone running nor heard any siren. Conflicting claims regarding the number of accused After the incident, teams from Surat Crime Branch and Zone-1 Police have started investigations. Police from Varachha, Pune, Kapodra, and Sarthana police stations have also been deployed. In this case, different information is emerging regarding the number of accused, which has not yet been confirmed. Surat is considered a hub for diamond finishing units.
Emphasize accuracy and depth.