Canara Bank heist: 59 kg gold, cash looted, black magic ruse

In a meticulously planned dramatic heist, a group of unidentified robbers looted nearly 59 kg of gold jewellery and Rs 5.2 lakh in cash from the Canara Bank branch in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district.

The crime, which seems to have occurred on Sunday, May 25, at the public sector bank’s branch in Managuli Town, located in the taluk (administrative division) of Basavana Bagewadi, in the northern district.

According to the Vijayapura Superintendent of Police (SP) Lakshman Nimbargi, the robbery was discovered by a cleaning staff on Monday morning. “On May 26, the manager of Canara Bank in Mangodi lodged a complaint. On the 24th, which was the fourth Saturday, the bank was locked and closed for the day. When the PNO (Part-Time Sweeper) came for cleaning on the 25th, it was discovered that the shutter lock had been broken. This information was then reported,” the SP said.

“After a thorough evaluation, it was found that 59 kg of gold had been stolen. According to the bank, this gold belonged to customers who had pledged it for gold loans,” he said.

According to the police, the gang, comprising six to eight members, used a fake key to open a specific locker containing the gold. The robbers seemed to have broken into the bank after surveilling the bank for two days. They broke the main entrance lock, disabled the alarm system, the police said. Another locker containing valuables was left untouched, suggesting the culprits had prior knowledge of the bank’s internal setup, the SP added.

Reportedly, the robbers placed a black-coloured doll near a broken window, hinting at black magic practices, allegedly to divert the investigation. The police believe this was a deliberate act to mislead investigators and delay progress in the case by creating the impression of occult involvement.

“This was a highly professional and planned robbery. The black magic element seems to be a diversionary tactic to confuse or distract the probe,” said police sources.

“It has been confirmed that approximately Rs 53 crore worth of gold and Rs 7 lakh in cash were present in the bank at the time of the theft. People from neighbouring districts such as Hernal and Hubballi had pledged their gold at this branch for loans,” said Shivana Gowda, a customer of Canara Bank. “Given the scale and value of the assets involved, it’s fair to say this could be one of the biggest bank robberies in the country.”

Gowda questioned the bank’s security as well. “This is not the fault of the customers; they trusted the bank with their valuables. Personally, I feel the bank should have exercised greater vigilance to prevent such a serious breach of security,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police said they are investigating it from all angles and have formed eight teams to investigate the case further. “The investigation is progressing steadily, and we are confident that the accused will be arrested soon,” the SP said.

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