Customer shot dead during bank robbery in City

An unidentified youth barged into a Corporation Bank branch on Hesaraghatta Main Road here on Monday evening, shot one of the customers and decamped with Rs 15 lakh.

While the miscreant fled from the scene unharmed, the customer, Muralidhar, 45, a civil contractor and manager of a nearby petrol bunk, who was shot in his right shoulder, succumbed to the injury at a nearby private hospital after an hour-long struggle.

A senior officer handling the investigation said the youth in mid-twenties barged into the Chikkabanavara branch of Corporation Bank, housed in the FAZ Complex opposite Janapriya Apartments, Hesaraghatta Main Road, around 4 pm. He downed the shutters and threatened the staffers and customers, numbering about 15, with dire consequences at gunpoint. He ordered them to hand over their mobile phones before moving to the cashier.

Branch manager Suresh Babu told Deccan Herald: “As soon as he entered the bank, he came right into my cabin, where I was talking to some customers. ‘I will kill you if you act smart,’ he shouted. He then ordered all of us to hand over our mobiles which we did. He noticed Muralidhar moving towards him. He shot him at  point-blank range on his right shoulder. He then jumped towards the cashier’s cabin and threatened Dasappa, the cashier.”

Dasappa said: “I gave him the cash and he checked my cellphone to ascertain if I had made any calls to the police. He kept the cash in the bag, downed the shutters of the bank and disappeared into the crowd.” Babu said the youth was frightened and wanted to create panic, but ended up killing a customer.

Though the bank officials had put on the emergency siren, no one came to their rescue. Some customers then broke open the window panes and cried out for help. The bank employees alerted the nearby NRR Hospital, which rushed an ambulance and took the injured man to hospital. Muralidhar, however, died in hospital due to cardiac arrest, massive bleeding and shock.

The Soladevanahalli Police have registered a case and are investigating. T Suneel Kumar, Additional Commissioner (Law & Order), Bangalore City, told Deccan Herald that only one person with a pistol was involved in the incident. He also said that the assailant was a lean youth, wearing a cap and speaking fluent Hindi and English. He added that the police have definite clues and that the youth will be nabbed soon.