SINDHULI: Police have arrested six individuals in connection with the robbery at Nepal SBI Bank’s Bastiutar branch in Ghyanglekh Rural Municipality-2, Sindhuli, where over Rs 31 million was stolen on Tuesday night around 7:45 pm.
According to police, the armed robbers restrained the bank’s security guard and staff before seizing the cash. The gang, reportedly at least six members strong, had brought a Tata Sumo from Banepa, Kavre, to execute the heist. During the robbery, security guard Rudra Bahadur Karki was injured after being attacked with a khukuri.
Some of the stolen cash was discarded in the nearby forest, while part of it was left in the Sumo. Sindhuli SP Lal Dhwaj Subedi confirmed that the robbers were caught in the forest and are being brought to the police office. The Sumo used in the robbery (registration BAD 0398) and its driver, Bhavat Singh Thapa, have also been taken into custody. Four additional suspects were arrested with the help of local residents when they left the forest to buy food.
Former ward chair Ramkaji Waiba said the vehicle used in the robbery was found about three kilometers away, and locals recovered one bag of the stolen cash from the forest. Police have confirmed that around Rs 18 million of the stolen money has been recovered so far.
Authorities have described the robbery as a well-planned operation and are intensifying the search for other suspects still at large. The incident has raised security concerns in Sindhuli and surrounding areas, and police have assured that all involved will face legal action promptly.
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