SBI staffer killed trying to stop heist in Mumbai branch

Mumbai, Dec 29 (IANS) A staffer of State Bank of India was shot dead when he attempted to foil a daylight heist at its Dahisar branch and the two robbers grabbed around Rs 2.50 lakh and fled, police said.

According to the MHB Colony Police, the incident occurred just after 3.30 p.m. when the staffer, Sandesh Gomare, 25, was sitting outside the branch and noticed two suspicious-looking masked men entering the bank.

Sending something amiss, Gomare demanded their identity cards at which one of the robbers shot at the official in his chest with a country-made revolver.

As panic spread among the 8-9 staffers inside the branch, the robbers threatened them at gunpoint, grabbed all the cash they could manage on the premises, and fled the scene within a matter of a couple of minutes before an alarm could be raised.

Bank staffers summoned the police and also rushed the bleeding Gomare to Shatabdi Hospital where he was declared dead on admission.

Gomare is said to be a resident of Virar town in Palghar district and worked as a contract staffer with the SBI branch.

Police surmise that the robbers had planned the strike well as it was nearing closing hours with limited staff on duty and less surveillance outside as the bank is in a relatively non-crowded area of the suburb.

The police have managed to collect CCTV grabs of the robbers and have deployed roadblocks in the different parts and the highway besides the district border checkpost at Dahisar to nab the culprits.