MAPUSA: Five unidentified people looted Rs 15 lakhs from Indian Overseas Bank, Canca-Verla branch at gun point in broad day light on Friday.

According to sources, five unidentified persons forced entry into the bank and robbed Rs 11 lakhs and some jewellery at gun point. 

Three of the five robbers, carried guns, while two were armed with swords. 

On entry, one of them pointed a gun at the bank manager and demanded cash and locker keys. The manager told them that there were no locker keys. The robbers also pointed their guns at the cashier and assaulted him and the manager for not giving money. 

Interestingly, the bank staff initially thought that the people were playing a prank and took the matter casually.

The robbers then started collecting cash availableat the counter and since they did not find enough cash they snatched jewellery worn by the bank staff and people present at the bank.

Later, the bank peon got an opportunity to run out of the bank and she shouted for help. By that time two of the robbers had already left the bank and only three remained inside. When the lady made noise, the remaining three also ran out of the bank with cash, jewellery and CCTV unit, which they threw in the nullah close to the bank.

When the robbers started running people ran after them and pelted stones at them. The robbers then fired in the air to scare the people and soon also fired at people running behind them.

The robbers ran in different directions, firing intermittently to scare the locals, who chased them and managed to catch two of them. 

People first assaulted the robbers with stones and the swords belonging to the robbers and subsequently handed them over to the police. In the assault, one of the robbers was severely injured and is in critical condition and admitted in District hospital, Mapusa.

Later, during the search operation, people managed to catch one more robber with the help of the dog squad. He was found hiding near the Bank of Baroda at Guirim.

Mapusa police managed to catch three robbers with the help of the people. Police also managed to recover some cash robbed by them. 

Sources said that there was no security guard at the bank and the CCTV surveillance installed at the bank was broken by the robbers after entering the bank, as the robbers had not covered their faces.

Meanwhile, a room boy working in a guest house located in the same building has been missing from Friday morning and people suspect that he might be involved in the robbery.

Locals said that a boy named Mahesh was hired, barely eight days ago by the guest house.