Two youths on a motorcycle snatched a bag containing Rs 4.15 lakh from two employees of a private firm outside a bank in Sodepur on Wednesday afternoon.

Biplab Sarkar and Sekhar Bhattacharya had withdrawn the money from the private bank, near the Sodepur intersection, for the salary of their colleagues.

They crossed the road and started walking towards their office, about half a kilometre away on Raja Road.

The youths approached them on a motorcycle from behind, snatched the bag and sped away towards Barrackpore, claimed the duo.

“It seems that the youths were waiting for Sarkar and Bhattacharya to come out of the bank. We have started a hunt for the robbers,” said an officer of Khardah police station. He added that “all possibilities” were being considered.

Tapas Talapatra, the owner of the firm, refused comment. The company is responsible for maintaining and guarding the towers of a cellphone service provider in the area.

“We are questioning the employees of the company,” said P.K. Tripathi, the additional superintendent of Barrackpore police.

A gang had robbed agencies appointed by two cellphone service providers at Duttapukur and Barasat about a week ago.

The investigators said they were trying to find out if members of the same gang were behind the robbery on Wednesday.