In a daring daytime robbery in Bengaluru, a gang of unidentified men posing as Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and tax officials intercepted a cash-in-transit van and made off with about Rs 7.1 crore. According to police, the incident occurred around 12:30 PM near the Ashoka Pillar in Jayanagar when the robbers’ SUV, bearing a ‘Government of India’ sticker, blocked the van’s path. The gang claimed they needed to ‘verify documents’, forcing the cash van staff out and loading them into their vehicle along with the cash.
The van was transporting money collected earlier from the HDFC Bank branch in JP Nagar and belonged to CMS Logistics. After intercepting the van, the robbers allegedly directed it toward the Dairy Circle flyover, where they used a pistol to threaten the driver and emptied the cash trunks into their own vehicle. During the escape, the suspects removed the van’s DVR, complicating investigative efforts.
Investigation underway: Police scramble to track the gang
Bengaluru Police are treating the incident with high priority. They’ve formed special squads, set up roadblocks across the city and are reviewing more than 50 CCTV camera feeds to trace the gang’s escape route. The Innova used in the robbery reportedly had a fake number plate, heightening suspicions of a well-organized and well-resourced operation.
Home Minister G Parameshwara acknowledged the gravity of the heist, calling it ‘probably never happened before in Bengaluru’. Authorities are investigating if there was an insider leak that alerted the robbers about the cash movement. Meanwhile, the four CMS staff who were forced out of the van, including armed guards, are being interrogated, with police probing inconsistencies in their statements.
As the city tightens its dragnet, law enforcement is confident of arresting the culprits soon. The brazen nature of the robbery has raised serious questions about cash transit security in urban centres, pushing officials to reassess protocols.
