The arrested robbers, Bunty and Ashis, who were involved in the Chiplima bank robbery. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, June 18: Police arrested two persons on charge of looting Rs 24.17 lakh from the Utkal Grameen Bank at Chiplima on June 16.

The cops recovered Rs 3.96 lakh in cash, a pistol, ammunition, a mobile phone and a motorbike from the accused.

The accused persons were identified as Bunty alias Bibhuti Bhusan Suna, 25, of Stationpara in Sambalpur and Ashis Pal, 22, of Mahatab Nagar in Burla.

Acting on information of the intelligence branch, the cops swung into action and arrested the two.

Five masked youths had entered the bank premises in the afternoon on June 16 and committed the crime.

The police registered a case stating that the gangsters had looted Rs 24.17 lakh from the bank. Subsequently, the officials, in course of their search operation, had found Rs 8.58 lakh from the bank premises.

The masked robbers were carrying two pistols and a sharp weapon and conversing in Hindi and Odia. Brandishing the weapons, they had locked three employees of the bank in a room and had taken away the cash.

The criminals took the cashier to the strong room and forced him to open the iron chest. Later, after committing the crime, they fled from the spot. After they left, the bank employees managed to free themselves and contacted the police.

Both the accused have criminal antecedents, said a police official.

District superintendent of police Prateek Mohanty said: “We have already identified the other three persons, who were involved in the robbery. They will be nabbed shortly.”