While the daylight robbery at the Kantipath branch of Nabil Bank shocked many, the revelations that came by the evening - upon the recovery of the Rs.6 million cash that was looted - are no less flabbergasting.
The police, as they successfully recovered the cash and the revolver used and identified the robber in a matter of about five hours, did a laudable job but some clues they disclosed, however, point towards some loose ends too.
At a press meet organised by the Valley Crime Investigation Branch later this evening, police officials informed that the cash stacked in two briefcases and a revolver looted from a police inspector on Monday was found from the room of the robber, Niranjan Khanal of Ratanur, Dang district, at Hepali Height in Khadka Bhadrakali VDC, Ward No.7, Kathmandu. The house belonged to Yogeshwor Sharma. Of the Rs.6 million, Rs.5.93 million has been recovered.
Police said the taxi used by the robber has been found. They also said they were investigating if there were others involved in the robbery.
One interesting revelation that came from police sources is that Khanal is found to be a close relative of inspector Madan KC whose pistol was looted (lost?) on Monday night while on duty near Bishnumatipul area, Kathmandu. The robber was identified from the pictures taken by the close-circuit cameras inside the bank.
However, the police said nothing officially about the connection between the inspector and the robber or the robbery plan.
“We hope to nab the robber within a day or two,” Binod Singh, superintendent of the crime branch told reporters.
A bank official explained the incident to Nepalnews: “An armed youth posed as a Maoist approached the customer service officer, Dinesh Poudel, demanding Rs.20 million who, after communicating with the management, handed over two brief cases stacked with cash. The bargain continued for nearly 25 minutes. He got out with the cash at around 12:45 p.m.”
Surprisingly, the bank officials informed the police about the incident only half-an-hour after the robber got away.
When asked why the bank management reached to the police so late, the bank’s general manager Anil Shah told reporters, “Even after his exit, for some time, we wanted to ensure that there was no more threat to the customers present inside and the employees. We carried out a thorough check at every corner of the building so as to avoid possible threat.”
“We think it was just an armed robbery. Our policy is clear – everything is replaceable except human life,” Shah said, adding, “We made a point not to play a hero in that situation and wanted to end the drama as soon as possible without human injury.”
In the meantime, since the incident took place in the middle of the day at the heart of the city, it has raised questions over the security mechanism of the government as well as the bank’s. The robber conveniently entered into the bank with a pistol and engaged in a bargain for over 25 minutes and got out with the cash despite the presence of armed security guards at the bank.
“This can be a wake up call. This is mainly because of the lax security system at the bank. It should at least care about the safety of the deposits of the clients,” a client who was present at Nabil premises during the incident told Nepalnews. nepalnews.com Mohan Khadka/Ram Humagai Dec 14 04
The police, as they successfully recovered the cash and the revolver used and identified the robber in a matter of about five hours, did a laudable job but some clues they disclosed, however, point towards some loose ends too.
At a press meet organised by the Valley Crime Investigation Branch later this evening, police officials informed that the cash stacked in two briefcases and a revolver looted from a police inspector on Monday was found from the room of the robber, Niranjan Khanal of Ratanur, Dang district, at Hepali Height in Khadka Bhadrakali VDC, Ward No.7, Kathmandu. The house belonged to Yogeshwor Sharma. Of the Rs.6 million, Rs.5.93 million has been recovered.
Police said the taxi used by the robber has been found. They also said they were investigating if there were others involved in the robbery.
One interesting revelation that came from police sources is that Khanal is found to be a close relative of inspector Madan KC whose pistol was looted (lost?) on Monday night while on duty near Bishnumatipul area, Kathmandu. The robber was identified from the pictures taken by the close-circuit cameras inside the bank.
However, the police said nothing officially about the connection between the inspector and the robber or the robbery plan.
“We hope to nab the robber within a day or two,” Binod Singh, superintendent of the crime branch told reporters.
A bank official explained the incident to Nepalnews: “An armed youth posed as a Maoist approached the customer service officer, Dinesh Poudel, demanding Rs.20 million who, after communicating with the management, handed over two brief cases stacked with cash. The bargain continued for nearly 25 minutes. He got out with the cash at around 12:45 p.m.”
Surprisingly, the bank officials informed the police about the incident only half-an-hour after the robber got away.
When asked why the bank management reached to the police so late, the bank’s general manager Anil Shah told reporters, “Even after his exit, for some time, we wanted to ensure that there was no more threat to the customers present inside and the employees. We carried out a thorough check at every corner of the building so as to avoid possible threat.”
“We think it was just an armed robbery. Our policy is clear – everything is replaceable except human life,” Shah said, adding, “We made a point not to play a hero in that situation and wanted to end the drama as soon as possible without human injury.”
In the meantime, since the incident took place in the middle of the day at the heart of the city, it has raised questions over the security mechanism of the government as well as the bank’s. The robber conveniently entered into the bank with a pistol and engaged in a bargain for over 25 minutes and got out with the cash despite the presence of armed security guards at the bank.
“This can be a wake up call. This is mainly because of the lax security system at the bank. It should at least care about the safety of the deposits of the clients,” a client who was present at Nabil premises during the incident told Nepalnews. nepalnews.com Mohan Khadka/Ram Humagai Dec 14 04
No comments:
Post a Comment