Kerala bank heist: Accused is Malayali with no criminal background, police suspect local links

Thrissur, Kerala: Police suspect that the ₹15 lakh robbery at Potta Federal Bank in Chalakudy was carried out by a Malayali. The investigation has now been expanded to include local residents. Authorities have found no criminal record linked to the suspect. Earlier, police suspected that the crime was not committed by a professional thief. They now believe the accused is someone familiar with the area. Initially, investigators had suspected that the accused was from another state.

Despite obtaining CCTV footage of the two-wheeler used by the suspect, police are yet to arrest him or locate the vehicle. The only lead so far is that the accused was last seen heading towards Angamaly. Officers are not ruling out the possibility that he may have fled the state, prompting an extension of the investigation beyond Kerala.

Surveillance cameras inside and outside the bank captured the suspect’s movements. However, identifying the culprit has been challenging as he was wearing a helmet. The fact that he also wore gloves has ruled out the possibility of obtaining fingerprints.

Investigators are examining whether the suspect received assistance or if there was a conspiracy behind the crime. Authorities believe it would have been difficult to execute such a robbery alone. As part of the probe, police have once again recorded statements from bank employees.

At the time of the robbery, ₹47 lakh was stacked on the counter. The suspect took only three bundles, each containing ₹5 lakh, from the middle of the pile, leaving the rest untouched. This selective approach has led police to believe the crime was committed with a specific intent. Since a larger amount could have been taken, investigators suspect a particular motive behind stealing only ₹15 lakh. 

Meanwhile, security has been tightened at the bank branch where the incident took place. Security personnel were deployed on Saturday morning to enhance vigilance.