4 Arrested In ESAF Bank Heist, Mastermind Still Elusive

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): Jabalpur Police have arrested four men in connection with the daring bank robbery that shook Khitola on August 11. Armed assailants looted 14.875 kg of gold and Rs 5.08 lakh in cash from ESAF Small Finance Bank in a swift, meticulously planned 15-minute operation.

The arrested have been identified as Rais Lodhi, Sonu Varman, Hemraj and Vikas Chakraborty. Police said the gang had rented a house in the area to plan the heist and used motorcycles to escape after the crime.

CCTV footage helped investigators trace the suspects, leading to recovery of Rs 1.83 lakh in cash, an illegal weapon, live cartridges and two motorbikes. However, the main accused remains at large, believed to be carrying the bulk of the stolen gold.

The robbery occurred around 9 AM on Monday, when a group of armed men stormed the ESAF office. They locked employees inside a bathroom, forced open the locker and made off with the loot—15 kg gold worth Rs 15.5 crore and Rs 5 lakh cash. Police said the entire act was captured on CCTV and bore signs of precise planning.

Raids are on to track down the absconding mastermind and recover remaining gold.