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In one of the biggest recent bank robberies, armed men looted a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Karnataka's Vijayapura district, escaping with 8 crore in cash and 58 kg of gold.

According to initial reports, the incident took place on Tuesday evening when a group of masked men, carrying country-made pistols and other weapons, stormed into the bank. They tied up the employees, threatened the branch manager and cashier, and prevented anyone from triggering the alarm system. The robbers, reportedly dressed in military uniforms, then fled with the cash and gold.

The getaway car used in the crime was later found abandoned in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. A joint search operation is now being conducted by the Karnataka and Maharashtra police. Officials rushed to the scene as news of the robbery spread, drawing a large crowd outside the branch.

This heist comes just months after another major robbery in the same city. In June 2025, a Canara Bank branch in Vijayapura was targeted, where robbers escaped with 59 kg of pledged gold and Rs 5.2 lakh in cash. Investigations in that case led to the arrest of three suspects, including the branch manager.

Police revealed that Vijaykumar Miriyal, the former Canara Bank manager, was the mastermind behind the June robbery. He was arrested along with Chandrashekhar Nerella, a former employee-turned-contractor and casino operator, and Sunil Moka, his assistant.

The SBI robbery has once again raised concerns about security lapses in banks across the region.

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