A gang of robbers broke open the gates of a nationalised bank today and looted cash and valuables around Rs 22 lakh in Vivekananda nagar here, police said.
Bank staff and local people found the locks and the gates of the United Bank of India, Vivekananda nagar branch here, broken in the morning and informed the authorities about it, Additional Superintendent of Police of Purulia, Dhutiman Bhattacharya said.
The bank officials found that cash and properties around Rs 22 lakh, kept in the strong room of the branch, was stolen, the ASP said.
Bhattacharya said the police have launched a raid to nab the robbers.
In another incident in Purulia town, robbers looted Rs 1.70 lakh from a ration dealer and injured him.
Ration dealer Satyanarayan Daw was riding his motorbike when robbers waylaid him near a girls high school in the town and snatched the money from him and injured him, the police said.
Daw has been admitted to Purulia Sadar Hospital, the police said, adding investigation is underway in the matter.
