Five police teams formed to trace Kotekar co-operative bank robbers, may have fled to TN

MANGALURU: Following the armed robbery at the Kotekar Vyavasaaya Seva Sahakaari Bank’s K C Road branch in Ullal on Friday, the police have formed five teams to nab the accused. The police are also checking CCTV footage from near the bank to establish the identities of the robbers.

The getaway car headed towards Kerala and the driver, who was wearing a mask, paid the tool at the Talapadi toll plaza. While four men entered the bank and committed the robbery, one person was waiting in the getaway car. However, at the toll booth, only two people — the driver and another person in the rear — were in the car, according to the toll plaza staff.

The masked driver seen at the Talapadi toll plaza.

It is suspected that the robbers escaped to Tamil Nadu through Kerala and may have taken a boat ride. The police are in Kerala and Tamil Nadu gathering information about the robbers. Two of the robbers are believed to have taken a different car and a mobile phone belonging to one of the bank staffers was dumped near Mangaluru city.

Customers gathered outside the bank on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the bank’s customers gathered at the premises on Saturday, but were not allowed to enter due to the ongoing investigation. The customers had come with documents related to their pledged god and wanted to take it back. A woman customer even alleged that the negligence of the bank staff had led to the robbery.