Facing flak after the Barh bank loot, the state police have asked banks to inform the local police whenever they transport cash from one bank to another.

Banks have to inform the local police and once they provide assistance only then the cash can be transported. Petrol pumps, too, has to follow the same protocol.

Central range deputy inspector-general Shalin said: "The local police have to escort the banks and petrol pumps when they ferry cash. Also banks have to take extra security measures to prevent loots."

The police directive assumes importance, as banks, especially in remote areas, are soft targets of criminals. Sources said in most cases, banks in remote places carry cash from one bank to the other without police escort.

In 2017, the state has witnessed three bank robberies and in most of the cases, cash was looted from vans or banks having private security forces.

On February 17, Rs 39 lakh was looted from the SBI bank at Chanan in Banka district. Ten days later, Rs 20 lakh was looted from a cash van at Sohsarai in Nalanda. Gangsters also killed two security guards and the van carrying cash was of Punjab National Bank (PNB).

SBI Gandhi Maidan branch assistant general manager AGM Akhil Kumar Mishra said: "According to the Reserve Bank of India guidelines, banks have to inform the local police while carrying cash from the currency chest to the banks or from one bank to another. We are following the guidelines."

Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj, along with other senior police officers, on Thursday carried out raids at various places in Barh and Nalanda. Sources said the police believe a local gang is involved in the Barh incident.

On Thursday, the SSP also interrogated PNB Belachii branch officials and security guards for more than three hours. The police have yet again failed to find out why the CCTV, which was functional till Sunday, developed a snag on Monday.

The police collected information from shopkeepers near the PNB branch. Sources said the police have arrested another bank sweeper Akhil in this connection after arresting sweeper Krishnanandan and his two sons. Krishnanandan's sons own a betel shop at Belachii bazaar, a few metres from the PNB branch.

The police have found out from the CCTV footage, which shows Krishnanandan and another person moving around suspiciously in the bank on Sunday.

Motorbike-borne gangsters had killed three persons and looted Rs 60 lakh outside the bank in a daring daylight heist.

The incident occurred outside the Bagha Tila branch of the PNB under Belachii police station in the Taal area of rural Patna around Monday midday, when the bank was full with customers after the Sunday holiday.