Vijayapura, Karnataka — In a sensational twist to one of Karnataka’s biggest bank heists, three individuals—including a bank manager—have been arrested for robbing over ₹53 crore worth of gold and cash from the Managuli branch of Canara Bank.
The accused were identified by police as Vijayakumar Miriyala (41), the then-branch manager of Canara Bank, and his accomplices, Chandrashekhar Nerella (38) and Sunil Narasimhalu Moka (40).
💰 Details of the Heist:
- The theft occurred on May 25 in Basavanabagewadi taluk of Vijayapura district.
- According to Vijayapura SP Lakshman Nimbargi, a total of 58.97 kg of gold ornaments valued at ₹53.26 crore and ₹5.2 lakh in cash were stolen.
- The gold was stored in safe deposit lockers, which Miriyala had access to during his earlier posting at the Managuli branch.
🕵️♂️ How They Planned It:
Investigators revealed that:
- The plan was hatched as early as February this year.
- After being transferred to Ronihal branch on May 9, Miriyala handed over duplicate locker keys to his partners-in-crime.
- The robbers also planted black magic items near the bank to mislead police into suspecting a superstitious external attack.
🚓 What Was Recovered:
Following their arrest:
- Police seized 10.5 kg of gold, worth ₹10.75 crore, being transported in two vehicles.
- Both cars have been confiscated.
- Efforts are ongoing to trace and recover the remaining stolen gold and cash.
👮♀️ Police Statement:
SP Nimbargi stated:
“The crime was a well-planned insider job. The former branch manager misused his authority and collaborated with others to execute the robbery. Their attempt to disguise the theft using superstitions failed to mislead our investigation.”