5.8 kg gold missing from Bank of Baroda Bapatla branch

Guntur : An attendant working in the Bank of Baroda's Bapatla branch in Guntur district has stolen from the bank locker 5.8 kg gold pledged by the bank customers, according to bank employees.

The police said attendant Sumanth Raju eyed on the gold ornaments kept in the bank lockers. He started stealing from the bank lockers the gold ornaments which were mortgaged by the bank customers. He stole gold ornaments weighing 5.8 kg from the bank lockers during the past two years.

The value of gold ornaments they seized is Rs2.2crore. When the bank officials conducted the auditing for bank ornaments on September 2, Sumanth Raju went on leave and absconded.

The audit officials found that 5.8 kg gold ornaments were missing from the bank lockers. They suspected Sumanth Raju who went on leave. The BOB branch officials informed the matter to the higher officials and lodged a complaint with the police on Sunday. The police officials took up investigation.

According to sources, they are questioning the two suspects in connection with the gold theft case.

The bank officials alleged that Sumanth Raju frequently went into the bank's strong room along with officials and stole the gold ornaments which were pledged in the private finance company.

When the information leaked, bank customers who had taken loans against gold, reached the bank and expressed serious concern. They are worried about their gold ornaments. The police officials said that the bank customers need not worry about their gold ornaments. Two special teams were formed to arrest the accused Sumanth Raju.

Speaking to 'The Hans India', Bapatla DSP A Srinivasa Rao said, "We have identified where the accused Sumanth Raju had pledged the gold and the customers need not worry about their gold ornaments and police are questioning the suspects involved in the gold theft case."

"We are doing the best to get back the gold ornaments. Their gold ornaments are safe, " said the DSP.