Policemen at Dharhara Kothi Lane in Patna, where a robbery occurred on Wednesday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Criminals looted Rs 6 lakh at gunpoint from two employees of a scrap dealer on Wednesday afternoon, proving yet again the lack of citizens’ security in the state capital.

The incident occurred around 1pm at the busy Dharhara Kothi Lane under the jurisdiction of Kadamkuan police station.

The victims, identified as Dilip and Santosh, are employees of scrap dealer K.P. Gupta, who has an office in the Kumhrar area. They had come to the branch of Central Bank of India at Naya Tola to withdraw money for their employer.

“Dharhara Kothi Lane is just next to the bank. The men withdrew the money and went towards the lane on their motorbike. Two men on another motorbike overtook them and forced the duo to stop. Then, the pillion rider pointed a pistol at Dilip and Santosh and snatched the bag with the money. After this, they spedaway,” a police officer told The Telegraph.

He added: “The two men informed their employer, who in turn alerted the police.”

Police sources said Dilip and Santosh did need not to take the Dharhara Kothi Lane to go their office at Kumhrar.

“The lane is narrow but it remains busy. There are private homes, shops and some offices. Ideally, the two men could have taken the Gandhi Maidan road to reach their destination. They probably wanted to take a shortcut,” said another police officer.

He added: “The men have not been able to provide any concrete statements on the incident. They seem very confused. However, the police are looking into the case. Statements of the victims will be taken. The employer’s statement is also being taken.”

The recent spate in daylight robbery and the inability of the police to nab the criminals have alarmed the citizens.

On April 4, a 16-year-old girl was robbed of Rs 70,000 while she was on way home on a rickshaw after withdrawing the money from a bank.

The police have been unable to make any breakthrough in the case, which occured at the Garikhana area under the jurisdiction of Khagaul police station.

Two armed criminals had looted Rs 1.9 lakh cash from a businessman, Vikas Gautam, from the Kurji Mor area under the Patliputra police station area. This case, too, is yet to be solved.