Armed robbery bid at SBI branch in Bhokar foiled; villagers help police nab suspects

An armed attempt to rob the State Bank of India branch in Bhokar village of Jalgaon taluka on Saturday afternoon caused alarm across the district. Alertness on the part of villagers and swift police action ensured the suspects did not get away.

According to the information available, a group of seven to eight men had been keeping watch on the branch for some time. Some young men had been going around the village on the pretext of selling bedsheets, and people had noticed them, so no one paid them any attention. It later emerged that these men, moving about disguised as bedsheet sellers, were plotting to rob the bank.

It is said that the gang suddenly entered the bank while the staff were on their lunch break. They were armed and, brandishing a gun, confined the bank employees to one spot. The employees were badly shaken by the sudden incident. The gang then tried to lay hands on the gold biscuits and jewellery kept in the lockers of the strong room. They also intended to stuff whatever cash they could find into bags.

As news of the commotion inside the bank reached outside, villagers grew suspicious. When they realised that the young men going around on the pretext of selling bedsheets were involved, they began chasing them. There was also a scuffle between the villagers and the suspects. Some of the men managed to flee, but villagers held on to three and later handed them over to the police.

Within a few hours, Dharangaon police then acted and arrested two suspects near the Chavalkheda railway underpass. They have been identified as Shankar Ramesh Jasak (42, resident of Muktainagar, currently living in Jalgaon) and Gajanan Rajendra Pawar (32, resident of Naidongri, Nandgaon taluka, Nashik district).

With the help of local people, police set up a blockade and caught the two. Bags recovered from them have been seized. Police suspect they may contain cash or gold jewellery from the robbery. Police had earlier taken three people into custody with the help of villagers. Questioning in the case is under way.