Techie tries to rob bank

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Panic gripped a HDFC Bank branch in Indiranagar on Friday afternoon when a man covering his face with bandage threatened to trigger a bomb in his jacket, and almost got away with `13 lakh cash. But an alert security guard and a few bank employees closed the main gate from outside, called up the police and stopped the heist.

Pragyan Mukherjee, who claimed to be working with an IT company in the city, walked into the bank branch on the busy 100 Feet Road around 3.30 pm. With face covered in bandage, he went to a cash counter and said he wanted to open an account. As it was late afternoon, not many customers were at the bank. The bank employee replied there was a procedure involved and his face could not be covered while opening the account.

Pragyan whipped open his jacket, pointed to a contraption with wires sticking out, and told the employee that he would blow it if money is not handed over to him. The bank manager, employees and customers ran out of the bank in panic. Once the bank emptied out, Pragyan walked up to the cash counter and stuffed his jacket with currency worth over 13 lakh.

An eyewitness said, “As it was afternoon, not many customers were at the bank. When this man with bandage on his face threatened that he would blow up the bomb, the staff members got scared and ran out. A security guard closed the main door from outside.”

But the amateur robber could not walk out as an alert security guard had locked the main gate from outside. Pragyan tried to break open the door, but could not. Some bank employees had also called the Indiranagar police station. Two sub-inspectors, Giriraj and Kempe Gowda, arrived at the bank and arrested Pragyan. They found a box with batteries and wires in the jacket, but the bomb squad confirmed that it was a dummy bomb.

Pragyan told the police that he tried to rob the bank as he had run up huge debts. He had covered his face with bandage thinking it could mask his identity. A senior police officer said that Pragyan is from Arunachal Pradesh and is working with an IT company in the city. His family too stays here.

“His claims of running heavy debts have to be ascertained. We are taking a detailed statement from him. He stayed in Byappanahalli along with his family. We will get more information after the investigation,’’ DCP (East) Krishna Bhat said.