Kerala   

Heist: police get clues

MALAPPURAM: The police team investigating the theft at South Malabar Gramin Bank’s Chelembra branch at Idimuzhikkal in the district has made some progress by collecting vital clues.

The police, however, refused to disclose the clues as it might scuttle their investigation. The current investigation chiefly targets one Babu, who had taken the restaurant underneath the bank on rent. He and his team had gone about working in the restaurant under the pretext of renovation by downing the shutters.

The thieves had entered the bank, which was functioning on the first floor, by drilling a hole on the floor from inside the restaurant. Pledged gold jewellery worth nearly Rs.7.5 crore and Rs.24.8 lakh in cash were found stolen from the bank’s lockers on Monday morning.

The police said Babu, who had taken the restaurant on rent from its owner Kunheethu, might have given a false name. Babu had claimed that he belonged to Thrissur.

However, the police suspect that the gang responsible for one of the biggest bank thefts in the State may be from Malabar. The investigators ruled out the involvement of non-Malayalis in the theft.

The owner of the restaurant had not made any proper agreement with Babu, said Inspector General of Police (Thrissur Range) P. Vijayanand.

Meanwhile, the police made a portrait sketch of the suspect on the basis of the information collected from those who had seen him. District Superintendent of Police P. Vijayan said it would be released on Thursday.

The investigation team is headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (Narcotic Cell) Krishna Kumar. He is assisted by four circle inspectors and several sub inspectors.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Devaswom Board stalemate likely to upset festivals
VS: Polit Bureau to examine complaints
Burman reigns, still
Dial 1298, save lives
SMS to send New Year wishes
Gallery on road
Music festival at Mookambika temple
Bank heist: police get vital clues
Heat of the competition
The show goes on
Hosdurg sub-district leading in fete
Heist: police get clues
NSS unit lays road
Malappuram leading in arts fete
Clothes thrown into the Pampa cause pollution
Today at Sabarimala
Reaching out through the cyber world
Exemption from load-shedding
Call for dialogue on reforms
The spirit
New power line for Palakkad on the anvil

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu