Patna: Police arrested an armed criminal who allegedly attempted to rob a cash van outside the HDFC Bank branch near Vaishali roundabout under Kadamkuan police station area on Monday afternoon. Two of his accomplices managed to escape on a motorbike.The incident took place around 3.30pm when the cash van arrived near the bank after collecting cash from a coaching institute in Kankarbagh. According to police, three robbers tried to snatch cash boxes from the vehicle, but alert security guards foiled the attempt.The accused, identified as Punasi Paswan, 42, a resident of Naubatpur, was overpowered by bank guards and local residents and handed over to police. Officers recovered a pistol and three live cartridges from him.Patna Town DSP Rajesh Ranjan said the accused disclosed during interrogation that he had planned the robbery with two associates.“The trio arrived at the spot, with one riding a bike and the other two coming in an autorickshaw from Patna Junction. When the cash van stopped in front of the bank and guards were unloading the cash boxes, the accused tried to snatch one of the boxes. Alert guards immediately pointed their weapons at him, leading to his immediate apprehension by the public,” he said.“The suspect is being interrogated. He confessed that the group had deliberately chosen the afternoon for the crime because the streets are usually deserted due to the intense heat, making it easier to commit the offence and escape. He also claimed during questioning that he was lured and brought to the bank for the robbery by the mastermind, who did recce. He disclosed the names of the other two, and raids are going on to nab them,” the DSP added.Kadamkuan SHO Janmejay Rai said police are investigating the roles of the absconding accused and verifying the criminal background of the arrested man.
