Criminals looted over Rs 4.5 lakh from a rural bank in north Bihar late on Monday night after killing the security guard on duty.

Residents of Madhubani’s Ucchaith village, around 220km northeast of Patna, found the guard’s body in the farmland behind the branch on Tuesday morning. They informed Benipatti police who rushed to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem.

The victim, Jivachh Rai (43), was on duty at the Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank when the criminals struck. The criminals broke open the bank’s strong room and fled with Rs 4.56 lakh.

An FIR has been lodged, said the branch manager, Vinod Kumar. “The police have launched raids. Video clips retrieved from the CCTV camera installed at the branch have been provided to the investigating officer,” he added.

Madhubani superintendent of police Mohammad Rahman said a special team headed by a deputy superintendent of police has been constituted to solve the case. The dog squad has also been pressed into service.