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Rs 10 lakh ‘vanishes’ from J&K Bank
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, March 25
In a bizarre case, it remains a mystery as to who stole money from Thanamandi branch of the Jammu and Kashmir bank. A sum of more than Rs 10 lakh is missing.

Sources in the bank said as soon as the branch opened this morning, at around 10 am, Khadim Hussain, cashier of the Jammu and Kashmir bank, Thanamandi branch, which serves as state treasury branch, after taking the keys of the cash box from deputy manager Sunil Kumar, went to the strong room on the ground floor of the building where the bank is housed to get the cash.

After the cashier didn’t turn up for more than 40 minutes from the strong room, the deputy manager turned apprehensive and asked the peon Bashir Ahmed to go to strong room to ascertain as to why the cashier is late, sources added.

Bank sources further said after the peon went to the strong room to ascertain the whereabouts of the cashier, he saw the cashier lying unconscious on the floor and currency notes scattered all around.

The peon also found grill gate of the cash room closed from inside whereas outer wooden door was open, sources added.

After finding the things in total disarray in the cash room, sources said, peon Bashir went to the first floor where the bank offices is located and informed the deputy manager and other staff who in turn informed the police.

Police team immediately rushed to the spot and opened the grill gate later rushing the cashier to sub-district hospital Thanamandi, sources added. The cashier was further shifted to the district hospital here for specialised treatment.

Kewal Sharma, branch manager told media-persons that of the total cash of Rs 10, 96, 770 in the cash room of the which is a state treasury branch, they found only Rs 90, 550 whereas rest of the money has been allegedly looted by the burglars.

“Khadim Hussain is a government cashier of the treasury and not of the bank and the strong room used to have joint cash of the treasury as well as Jammu and Kashmir bank,” the branch manager said.

Police sources said its team after visiting the strong room found that there was no sign of scuffle and visible injury to cashier.

“Keeping in view the scenario at the site of offence, police later conducted a mock exercise wherein a policeman was sent inside the cash room and as per the exercise he was asked to cry from inside. But after he cried that cry reached more than 400 meters from the site raising the suspicion about the involvement of the cashier in the burglary,” a highly places police source said. The police has registered a FIR under section 382/384/448 of the RPC.

In the meantime, mediapersons who had gone to get the version of the cashier were told by his relatives that he was in quite serious condition and was unconscious. However, Dr. Bashir Malik who is attending to the injured cashier told mediapersons that Khadim has no serious injury and he is able to give the statement.

Meanwhile, state treasury department sources said that Khadim was put under suspension for several months allegedly for misappropriation of funds while he was posted at Sunderbani and was reinstated two years back.