Bhopal, April 18 (IANS) The investigation into the bank robbery in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli has taken a major turn, with police claiming to have arrested one accused from Bihar on Saturday.

The arrest was confirmed by Singrauli Superintendent of Police (SP) Manish Khatri; however, the identity of the accused has not been disclosed yet. Police said he is being questioned, and efforts are underway to trace the remaining members of the gang.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Police on Saturday also announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to the arrest of the absconding accused persons. A circular regarding the reward was issued after Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana chaired a review meeting with senior police officials.

During the review meeting, Makwana directed officers to strengthen inter-state coordination and expedite the investigation. “We are confident that the entire network behind this crime will be exposed soon. No accused will be spared,” he said.

Notably, five armed miscreants stormed the bank at around 1 p.m. and took customers and staff hostage at gunpoint on Friday.

The robbers forced the bank manager to open lockers containing pledged gold after taking him to the strong room. They appeared to have prior knowledge of the bank’s internal arrangements.

They looted around 7 to 10 kilograms of gold, valued at nearly Rs 15 crore, along with Rs 20 lakh in cash. The entire operation lasted about 15 minutes.

The accused fled on two motorcycles towards the Chhattisgarh border. CCTV footage from nearby shops shows them escaping with bags.

Police have sealed the bank and are examining multiple CCTV inputs. A country-made pistol dropped near Masjid Tiraaha has also been recovered.

Police teams from Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh are assisting in the operation, while further interrogation of the arrested accused is expected to provide key leads.

–IANS

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