Gang loots lakhs from bank, flees

Ara: Around six bike-borne criminals looted Rs 15 lakh from a private bank on KG Road in Ara town under jurisdiction of Nawada police station in Bhojpur district on Wednesday around 4.25pm.

The criminals barged into the branch of Mahindra Finance and held the employees and customers at gunpoint. Before escaping, they also thrashed the guard and an accountant. They were admitted to the Sadar hospital.

Bhojpur superintendent of police Satyaveer Singh told The Telegraph: “The armed criminals came on a bike and looted the money from the bank staff and customers. They managed to escape. But we are conducting raids to nab them. The gang involved will soon be busted,” An FIR was lodged with the local police station on the basis of statement given by the manager of the bank, Arun Choubey.

Seizure

Patna: Sashastra Seema Bal officials on Thursday seized a motorcycle bearing a Nepal registration number with arms and ammunitions near the India-Nepal border in Sitamarhi on Wednesday night. A SSB press note on Thursday said two persons on the bike escaped from the spot. Nine country-made pistols, two rifles and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from the motorcycle.

Tributes

Patna: Tributes were paid to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary on Thursday. Governor D.Y. Patil and chief minister Nitish Kumar garlanded the statue of Patel in a function. Artistes of the information and public relations department performed.

Winter session

Patna (PTI): The winter session of the Bihar Legislature will be held from December 6 to 13. There will be no sitting on December 7 and 8 as they fall in the weekend, principal secretary of the cabinet coordination committee, Brajesh Mehrotra, said.

The timing of the winter session is important as results of Assembly polls in five states would come at that time and preparation for 2014 Lok Sabha elections would start.

Rally blast aid

Gopalganj: Senior BJP leaders, including Rajiv Pratap Rudy, took part in a programme organised in Bari Dhanesh village of the district from where an urn containing ashes of Munna Srivastava was

taken out on a chariot before being immersed in the Ganga. Munna was killed in the Patna serial bomb blasts. Rudy said the party would extend support to Munna’s family for a decent upbringing of his daughter Sonakshi.

Coin fair

Patna: The Reserve Bank of India, in association with HDFC and ICICI banks, would organise a coin and note exchange mela for increased availability of these during Diwali on November 1. The fair would be organised at different branches (Ashok Rajpath, Raja Bazaar, Boring Road, Kankerbagh, Anisabad of HDFC bank from 11am to 3.30pm and at the Arya Kumar Road branch of ICICI bank from 12 noon to 4pm.

Vigilance event

Patna: Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank organised a seminar on Thursday as part of vigilance awareness week. Speakers underlined the importance of vigilance in this programme.

Customer service

Patna: A mobile customer service point in a vehicle known as Bank on Wheels under Financial Inclusion Plan was flagged off at State Bank of India Patna Centre by regional manager D. Ranjan. A press note on Thursday said the mobile bank would visit twice on specified days and times in Karauta, Chaura, Pitambarpur, Nuruddinpur, Dumari and Punadih to facilitate opening of small deposit accounts and make deposits/withdrawal/remittance.