The Surat crime branch has arrested two men from Uttar Pradesh in connection with the armed robbery of Rs 50 lakh at the State Bank of India branch in Varachha on April 27. The police are still searching for five other suspects involved in the crime.
Details of the Robbery
On the morning of April 27, six armed men entered the bank and made off with Rs 50 lakh in cash. According to police, the accused carried out the crime without wearing masks or using overt force, leaving the premises calmly. The arrested individuals have been identified as Shubham Kumar Ajit Thakur and Vikas Singh, son of Arun Kumar Singh.
Arrests and Investigation
The suspects were traced to the Ayodhya and Gonda areas of Uttar Pradesh through sustained technical and human intelligence inputs. More than 100 Surat police personnel were deployed across several north Indian states as part of the operation, with assistance from local police. The two accused were produced before a local court in Uttar Pradesh, which granted four days of transit remand, citing the seriousness of the offence.
Sources indicate that Thakur is believed to have a criminal history, though police have not disclosed the specific roles of the arrested men in the robbery. Investigators have found that the accused had been hiding in Surat for over a month and were staying in a rented house in Ugat village. One of the motorcycles used in the crime was purchased from Telangana, while the other was stolen.
Ongoing Manhunt
Police said the robbers appeared to challenge law enforcement by not concealing their identities. According to a police source, the cash or weapons used in the robbery are yet to be recovered. The manhunt for the remaining five suspects continues.
