Chinhat bank heist: Locker contents recovered, but not returned; owners’ wait continues

More than a month has elapsed since the sensational robbery at a bank in the city’s Chinhat area, but none of the 40 people whose lockers were targeted by six men in the early hours of December 22 have received their valuables back from the authorities.

This is despite police recovering ₹13 lakh cash and gold and silver valuables weighing nearly 20 kilos from the accused, all of whom had either been arrested or killed in police encounters.

Against their hopes of getting their valuables back—in view of the formation of a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team to oversee the return of the contents to their rightful owners—reports of some of the recovered jewellery going missing from police’s possession has further demoralised the locker owners.

The team was disbanded after the incident came to light, and all 13 policemen in the team were transferred.

Additional deputy commissioner of police-East Pankaj Singh, who is tasked with the investigation of the incident, said, “Actions to be taken after the SWAT team was disbanded are yet to be decided. We will see if a new team must be formed, which, if it is formed, will take some time.”

Even as the delay has forced some of the account holders to put off weddings and other family functions for the time being, there is not much clarity on the situation from the bank and police authorities.

Archana Shrivastava had stored every jewellery she owned, including the ones for her daughter’s wedding, in one of the lockers of Indian Overseas Bank’s Chinhat branch. “We hoped that sooner or later we would get back our valuables. However, after the news of jewellery going missing from police possession, I’ve lost all hopes,” said Archana, a homemaker. “I had given the details of all proofs within a week of the incident. But we are not getting any clear answer. If I think too much, then it starts taking a toll on my health.”

Shashikala owned locker number 48, one of the 40 lockers that were looted. She said she went to the bank every third day but was met with more disappointment each time. “A year ago, my husband died of cancer. All our savings were spent on his treatment. After his death, I live with one of my daughters while the other is married. We had deposited all our jewellery with the bank for the purpose of my daughter’s wedding. While the wedding is all set to happen, I can’t fix on a date due to lack of funds.”

Tiwariganj resident Jyoti Srivastava said she had visited the bank 12 times since the heist to inquire about the status of her valuables. “A week after the incident, a form was given to us. In two or three days, I attached receipts, photos of the jewellery, and their weight and design details to the authorities… “Except what I’m wearing right now, all my jewellery were in the locker.”

Joint commissioner of police (L&O) Amit Verma had earlier said that the six men entered when there were no security personnel present at the bank. The bank has 90 lockers. The accused were able to break open 42 of them; 40 of them were active and contents from them were stolen. On the worth of valuables stolen, he had said, “Since the bank does not keep data of what is kept in the lockers, there are no exact details of stolen items. The contents of the lockers were confidential and known only to the customers.”

Inspector Rajesh Tripathi, who is also part of the investigation team, said the victims were being heard. “Some of the recovered jewellery is in Ghazipur. A letter has been written to the authorities to bring them here. Soon, people will get them,” he added.

THE CASE SO FAR

On December 22, six men cut through a wall to enter the bank, damage the alarm system, cut open 42 lockers and steal jewellery, said to worth crores of rupees, from 40 of them.

Four of the accused—Arvind Kumar, Vipin Kumar, Balram Kumar, Kailash Bind and Mithun—were arrested. Sobind Kumar and Sunny Dayal killed in police encounters.

So far, police have recovered approx. 6 kg of gold, 14 kg of silver and ₹13 lakh in cash from the accused.

A SWAT team formed to oversee the return of the contents to their rightful owners.

After anomalies and complaints, the case was given to Gomti Nagar police

SWAT disbanded over complaints of ‘anomalies’