Taking cue from YouTube videos, businessman robs two banks in Bhubaneswar; held

A 25-year-old garment seller robbed two banks in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar to recover losses suffered during the lockdown by taking lessons from YouTube videos, said police on Monday.

The accused, identified as Soumyaranjan Jena (25), also known as Tulu, hails from Tangibanta village on the outskirts of the city. He had mugged Indian Overseas Bank and Bank of India in September using toy guns, the police said.  Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner S Sarangi told media that the accused had taken loans from both the banks and was facing financial strain due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown.

READ | Odisha Reports Below 3,000 New COVID-19 Cases After 34 Days

"The businessman wanted to recoup losses suffered during the lockdown and robbed two banks of Rs 12 lakh in Bhubaneswar. He looted the Indian Overseas Bank, near Infocity area on September 7, and the Bank of India's Barimunda branch in Mancheswar area on September 28.

He got the idea of robbing bank while watching YouTube videos and used a toy gun to rob the two banks. Police recovered cash amounting to over Rs 10 lakh and seized the vehicle and the toy gun used in the robbery," the police commissioner said.

READ | Man Gets 20 Years RI For Raping Minor Girl In Odisha

Jena had allegedly barged into the bank wearing a helmet when only a few staff members were present and asked them to hand over the cash. The accused, who has accounts in both the banks, had taken a loan of nearly Rs 19 lakh and already paid 6 lakhs to the bank."He was arrested when he went to deposit Rs 60,000 from the looted money. He assumed that if he will deposit small amounts of cash, nobody will doubt him," Police Commissioner said.

READ | Odisha Govt Spent Rs 472 Crore From CMRF For COVID-19 Management Since March: Report

READ | Ruckus In Odisha Assembly Over Hathras Incident

(With inputs from agency)

(Image for representation)