The man smashed the glass of the Teller's cubicle with a chair, grabbed the cash, and fled around 2.15 pm on Friday.
Published Feb 14, 2025 | 5:39 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 14, 2025 | 5:39 PM
The man used a scooter to flee the bank.
Synopsis: The unidentified man completed the robbery within minutes and fled the scene on a scooter. Police are trying to identify him.
A knife-wielding, unidentified man locked up officials of a bank in a toilet before fleeing with around ₹15 lakh in Kerala’s Thrissur district around 2:15 pm on Friday, 14 February.
The daylight robbery at Federal Bank’s Potta branch near Chalakkudy, some 51 km from Kerala’s commercial capital Kochi, occurred when most of the bank staff were out for lunch.
Though the masked man, wearing a helmet and gloves, reportedly took away around ₹15 lakh, the police were yet to confirm the exact amount.
Police said the alleged robber threatened the branch manager and a staff member, and locked them up in the toilet, before smashing the glass partition of the Teller’s cubicle with a chair and grabbing the cash.
A woman employee was at the counter when the incident occurred at the branch located at a busy junction around 33 km from its headquarters in Aluva.
He reportedly left the bank on a scooter, and reportedly took the by-lanes after robbing the bank located at a busy junction.
“There were eight employees in the bank at the time of the robbery. The accused seemed to be acting alone and had concealed his identity. He did not speak clearly, making it difficult to determine his language or accent,” the police said.
The Chalakkudy police rushed to the scene and launched an investigation. Investigators were checking the footage from the CCTV cameras in the bank and surrounding areas.
“The robber entered the bank, threatened employees with a knife, and carried out the robbery in a matter of minutes. We have formed a special team to track him down,” a senior police officer said.
Investigators expressed suspicion that the man was aged below 35. Police were also probing whether the robber had any prior knowledge of the bank’s operations, since he choose the lunch time to strike.
Forensic experts and the police K9 squad were expected to arrive at the scene soon. Superintendent of Police (Thrissur Rural) B Krishnakumar was overseeing the probe at the crime scene.
Chalakkudy MLA TJ Saneesh Kumar Joseph also reached the bank.
