Surat: A gang of armed men stormed a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Varachha in a chilling armed robbery and left with Rs 52 lakh, leaving behind shaken staff, terrified customers and unanswered questions.The robbery unfolded in the Lambe Hanuman area around 1pm, when the bank was functioning normally. The branch inexplicably had no security guard at the time.According to police, five robbers entered the branch, brandished pistols and forced six bank employees and six customers into a corner. Their mobile phones were seized and thrown aside, cutting off any chance of the alarm being raised. The gang then methodically emptied cash reserves before fleeing.Of the Rs 52 lakh taken, Rs 40 lakh belonged to a cash management company engaged by SBI, while Rs 12 lakh was the bank’s own cash. Police suspect more people may have been involved, as not all the suspects were captured on CCTV cameras.The robbery triggered a response from senior officers. Additional commissioners of police Balram Meena and Karanraj Vaghela soon reached the spot with other officials. Multiple teams have been formed to track the accused, who are believed to have escaped on motorcycles.Deputy commissioner of police (DCP Zone 1) Alok Kumar said: “The incident took place in the SBI branch in the Lambe Hanuman area of Varachha. Around five robbers entered the bank and took Rs 52 lakh in cash belonging to SBI and the cash management company. We learned that the robbers spoke in Hindi. We learned that they had pistols. We are investigating the case based on CCTV footage. We have formed multiple teams from Varachha, Zone 1 and the detection of crime branch for the investigation.“Preliminary findings exposed glaring security lapses. There was no security guard at the branch during the robbery. The robbers had cut the wire of the emergency siren, ensuring no alert could be raised. Six employees were in the bank, including three contracted workers.Police said that while five robbers went inside, others kept watch at the entrance and possibly elsewhere in the complex. Investigators say more accomplices may have been stationed outside to ensure a clean escape.BOX: Cash van gunman remained unawareThe robbers appeared calculated and calm, ensuring the heist unfolded without violence. They remained inside the bank for about 50 minutes, entering around 1pm and leaving around 2pm. Ironically, a van of the cash management company was parked outside the branch at the time with a gunman inside it. However, he remained unaware that a robbery was unfolding just a few metres away.
