Ukhrul: Unidentified armed men have allegedly looted Rs 20 lakhs from a State Bank of India branch in Churachandpur district. However, the exact amount is yet to be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
Reliable sources confirmed that at around 2 pm on Thursday, unidentified armed men entered and looted from the K Salbung branch of State Bank of India in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, marking the fourth loot incident in the whole of Manipur ever since the outbreak of ethnic violence in the state.
Banks in the district has seen few other such bank loots in the past. A SBI branch in Churachandpur was allegedly looted of approximately Rs 1.15 crore on September 4, 2020 in broad daylight.
Another Axis Bank branch in Churachandpur located at Teddim Road and Thangzam Road’s junction was found looted on July 10, 2023. Sources had said that over Rs 1 crore in cash and a huge quantity of gold was found looted on the opening day of the bank on July 10 with the front door of the bank lock found intact.
It may be mentioned that a Punjab National Bank (PNB) in Ukhrul headquarters was allegedly looted of Rs 18.85 crore by at least 10 unidentified armed men on November 30, 2023.” The entire episode of the PNB bank loot in Viewland bazaar in Ukhrul was recorded on CCTV, making it one of the biggest brazen bank heists in Manipur state’s history.