HUBBALLI: Miscreants tried to loot the
State Bank of India
(agricultural development branch) behind the bus stand on
Annigeri Road
in
Navalgund
on Wednesday morning.
When they failed, they fled and left a note which read, 'Raitara Sala Manna Maadi' (waive off farmers' loan) in bold letters and warned that "they will continue to loot all banks if banks fail to waive off farmers' loans".
Sources said when patrolling police came near the bank, the gang sensed trouble and left, leaving behind two bags, and other equipment used to break open the door of the bank. Before breaking open the door, the miscreants had damaged the CCTV camera installed at an ATM and another CCTV camera at the bank entrance.
Ramesh Pawar, Navalgund branch manager,
SBI, said, "I heard about the attempt to loot the bank when I got a call from local police around 1.30am. I rushed there and saw that they thieves had smashed two CCTV cameras. We have a collapsible gate and a main door. The miscreants had broken the lock of the collapsible gate and they tried to break open the main door but failed."
He added, "They left two bags in which we found a chisel, a hammer, rope, chilli powder and the warning note to waive farmers' loans. We opened this branch in 1970 and there has not been a single incident of looting since then. In the name of farmers, some miscreants may have tried to loot the bank to divert our attention." Sources said police have taken some persons into custody for questioning.