Visakhapatnam: A stray fingerprint left behind by a gang of robbers helped solve the sensational bank robbery case that took place in Ankapalle in Vizag district on November 6. The police, led by DSP M. Venkata Ramana and inspector S. Vidyasagar, arrested three persons of a four-member gang and recovered 1.84 kgs of gold ornaments. The gang had broken into the AP Grameena Vikas Bank (APGVB) early on November 6 and made good with 3.175 kgs of gold by cutting open the lockers.

The arrested were identified as Suresh Kasirao Umak alias Sagar Deshmukh, 54, of Kamlapur of Maharashtra, Gangadhar Guad, 35, alias Sadasiva of Raichur district, Karnat-aka, and Sagar Arun Rao Take of Maharashtra. The cops have launched manhunt for one more accused, Biswas Gulab Singan, of Maharashtra and investigation is on to recover the remaining gold jewellery. Superintendent of Police (Visakha Rural) Rahul Dev Sharma said that the gang had hired a vehicle in Odisha and drove down to Anakapalle. It had selected APGVB as it had no security and the bank was located at a secluded place.



The gang had planned to rob the bank on Saturday, November 4, or Sunday, November 5, both days being holidays. On the first day, the gang ran out of oxygen cylinders to cut through the lockers. The next day they procured equipment from Rajahmundry and used gas cutters to drill gaping holes into the lockers and made off with pouches containing the ornaments.

The gang took three-and-a-half hours to complete the task. About 500 gms of gold got melted when they were cutting through the lockers, Mr Sharma said. The only clue left behind was the fingerprint of one of the accused and the investigating team took a lead from that. “With the help of fingerprints bureau of CID, we nabbed one Gangadhar Guad who was arrested in the past. Based on this, we nabbed the others and recovered 1.8 kgs gold,” Mr Sharma said.