Bank robbers flee after tripping alarm

The brass door lock (right) of the Canara Bank, Yekkur Branch next to the Fisheries college was broken open by thiefs in Mangalore on Wednesday. Photo: R. Eswarraj

Thieves who attempted to break into a branch of Canara Bank near College of Fisheries on National Highway No. 66 here in the early hours of Wednesday retreated when the alarm was activated. The bank Manager, who got a text message, reached the spot with police but the thieves had fled by then.

The main entrance of the building in Yekkur leads to the Post Office and the bank. The thieves broke open the lock of the common door around 2.30 a.m., the police said. Thereafter, they broke the lock of the door made out of iron bars to enter the bank. As soon as they broke it, the grill door activated the burglar’s alarm and a text message was immediately sent to the mobile phone of Manager of the branch K.P. Shrikanth. The Manager alerted the Mangalore Rural Police and came to the bank.

By the time police and bank personnel arrived, thieves had fled.

The bank officials said nothing had been taken away from the bank. Branch Manager filed a complaint with the police, who have launched manhunt. It was business as usual for the bank, when The Hindu visited on Wednesday morning.

Woman escapes rape

A woman sustained serious injuries on Wednesday night when she jumped out of a moving car in which she was being kidnapped in Puttur. The police said the kidnappers also attempted to rape her. A large group of protesters gathered outside the hospital where she was admitted. A case was registered in Puttur Rural station against ‘unknown’ men.

Passengers injured

Two passengers of a Mangaladevi Temple-bound city bus were injured after it hit another city bus parked at St. Antony Ashram bus stop in Valencia on Wednesday.

The Mangalore Traffic (West) police said the city bus, heading for Morgan’s Gate, stopped at the bus stop. As passengers were alighting, the Mangaladevi Temple- bound bus hit the parked city bus injuring th two passengers, the police said.

Arrest

Customs officials on Wednesday arrested Abdul Rahiman, a Kasaragod resident, at Mangalore airport for alleged illegal possession of 1.5 kg gold. Mr. Abdul was returning from Dubai.