Mastermind of Chhawla bank dacoity-cum-murder arrested

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Thursday arrested Lagan Sharma, the prime accused in the bank dacoity and murder of a cashier which took place in Dwarka's Chhawla area on October 12.

Cops said that Sharma came up with the idea of looting the Chhawla bank, which had a large cash reserve, and assured lakhs of rupees as share to the co-accused.

They added that the culprits considered different branches for robbery, before finalising the Corporation Bank branch in Khaira village, where co-accused Pawan Pandey was a customer and whose topography he knew well.

The accused also chose the branch as it was located in the extreme corner of the village, because of which they faced minimal resistance and escaped the spot easily, cops added.

In addition to Pandey, Sharma roped in five others to execute the dacoity. After carrying out several recces of the branch area, they struck the branch on the afternoon of October 12, when it had a very small crowd.

Cops said that on the day of the robbery, while the bank staff rushed to safeguard the strong room, Pandey shot dead the cashier Santosh Kumar Sharma to stop him from running away

Seconds later, the group fled with whatever cash they found in the cashier's cabin and returned to Sharma's house, where he distributed the loot among the group. Within a month, all other accused were arrested by police, but Sharma managed to dodge them.

"Sharma was evading arrest by changing his location frequently and not using a mobile. He travelled to different cities before coming to Delhi, which exhausted all his money and he did not have anything for even food," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka), Anto Alphonse.