KISHTWAR: In a shocking incident, unidentified masked thieves broke into a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the remote Dachchan area of Kishtwar district and decamped with approximately Rs 19 lakh during the early hours of Monday.
According to police sources, the burglary occurred at around 2:30 AM at the Suid Branch of J&K Bank. The perpetrators gained access to the Bank by forcibly breaking the lock of the main entrance. Once inside, they managed to pry open the cash vault and steal the money before making their escape.
The theft came to light in the morning when bank officials arrived to open the branch. To their shock, they found the main door wide open with all locks missing. It is suspected that the thieves deliberately took the locks with them to avoid leaving behind any evidence.
Upon receiving a formal complaint from the Branch Manager, the Police has registered a case under relevant legal sections at Police Station Dachchan. As part of the investigation, authorities have secured the CCTV footage from inside the bank.
“In the CCTV footage, two masked individuals can be seen inside the bank committing the theft. However, we are not ruling out the possibility of more people being involved,” police sources stated. Given that Dachchan has a history of militancy-related incidents, law enforcement authorities are also examining a possible militant angle in the heist.
Speaking on the matter, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kishtwar, Javid Iqbal, confirmed the burglary at the Suid Branch of J&K Bank. However, he mentioned that the exact amount stolen is yet to be fully assessed.
“A case has been registered against unidentified individuals at Police Station Dachchan, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Deputy SP Sumit, has been constituted to probe the case and bring the culprits to justice,” the SSP stated.
Highlighting the security vulnerabilities at the Bank, the SSP noted that the Branch lacked basic safety measures. “Suid is a rural area having no road, and the Bank had no security infrastructure except a lock on the main door that was also made of wood. There was no security guard deployed at night to protect the premises,” he pointed out.
Given these security lapses, the Police have also initiated an investigation into the role of Bank employees in the incident to rule out any insider involvement. The case remains under active investigation, with police making efforts to track down the perpetrators and recover the stolen cash. (Excelsior)
