2 min readBhopalApr 18, 2026 07:08 AM IST
Five-armed men stormed a bank branch in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli on Friday afternoon, held staff and customers hostage at gunpoint, and fled with gold, silver and Rs 35 lakh in cash within about 20 minutes, police said.
The robbery took place around 1 pm at a branch of Bank of Maharashtra, when two men allegedly entered the premises posing as customers. According to Singrauli superintendent of police Manish Khatri, the duo quickly pulled out firearms and began threatening staff, forcing them to comply. Within moments, three more accomplices joined them, effectively sealing control over the branch.
Inside, panic spread as the assailants brandished weapons and allegedly fired a round, sending customers scrambling for cover. They allegedly demanded keys to the lockers and cash reserves from the branch manager. When he hesitated, he was assaulted, struck on the head with a gun butt, before being forced to hand over access, police said.
Eyewitnesses said the absence of a security guard at the time made the situation worse, allowing the group to operate unchecked. “There was no one to stop them. It all happened very fast,” said a customer who was present during the incident.
The robbers spent nearly 20 minutes inside the bank before fleeing with cash and valuables. By the time police were alerted and teams reached the spot, the attackers had already escaped.
Authorities have since sealed the area and launched a manhunt. “All exit points have been blocked, and CCTV footage from the bank and nearby locations is being analysed to trace their route,” a police officer said, adding that statements of employees and customers are being recorded.
