Manipur's fragile peace was shattered once more on Thursday by a brazen bank robbery in Churachandpur district.
Around 2 pm, four unidentified armed men, their faces obscured by masks and helmets, stormed into the State Bank of India's Salbung branch in the Tuibong area.
Eyewitnesses reported the assailants fleeing towards Kangvai after making off with an estimated Rs 20 lakh in cash.
The exact amount is yet to be confirmed by authorities. A search operation is underway to apprehend the perpetrators.
This incident marks the fourth bank robbery in Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic violence last year.
The state, still grappling with deep-rooted tensions, now faces a growing concern over financial security.
Churachandpur itself has borne the brunt of several such attacks.
In September 2020, another SBI branch in the district fell victim to a Rs 1.15 crore heist. More recently, in July 2023, an Axis Bank branch located at the junction of Teddim and Thangzam roads was targeted.
This meticulously planned robbery saw over Rs 1 crore in cash and a significant amount of gold vanish, with the entry point inexplicably left untouched.
The most audacious robbery, however, occurred in November 2023, when at least 10 armed men stormed a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Ukhrul headquarters.
This heist, captured entirely on CCTV, involved a staggering Rs 18.85 lakh stolen.
Furthermore, a Punjab National Bank branch in Ukhrul headquarters fell victim to a robbery in November 2023, with Rs 18.85 lakhs allegedly stolen by a group of armed men.
The entire incident was captured on CCTV, highlighting the audacity of the perpetrators in executing one of the largest bank heists in the state's history.
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