In a daring daylight robbery at the Potta branch of Federal Bank on Friday, a helmet-clad thief made off with ₹15 lakh after threatening the bank employees at knifepoint.

Arriving on a scooter, the suspect smashed the cash counter glass with a chair. Within minutes, he had seized the cash and fled through the side lanes on his scooter.

Bank loses ₹15 lakh in daylight robbery at knifepoint in Thrissur

The heist took place at 2:15 p.m. while the employees were having their lunch break, with only eight staff members present at the time. It is reported that two of the employees were locked inside the bathroom by the suspect.

Witnesses said the suspect, around 35 years old, demanded the keys from a woman bank employee in Hindi. The incident that took place in the busy Potta junction, near Chalakudy, in broad daylight shocked everyone.

According to the police it was a well-planned heist. “The suspect spent no more than two minutes inside, choosing the lunchtime to strike when the bank was quieter. The police are taking the incident seriously, with a special investigation team led by SP B. Krishnakumar now assigned to the case. We are leaving no stone unturned as we investigate all aspects of the incident, including possible security lapses at the bank,” said Thrissur Range DIG Hari Sankar.