Militants robbed two banks within two hours in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday, police said.
While Rs 4.92 lakh was looted from a rural bank branch in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank was robbed of Rs 1.6 lakh.
In the first case, four armed militants entered the Wahibugh branch of Elaquai Dehati Bank around 1.50 PM and looted Rs 4,92,800 at gunpoint before fleeing.
The bank employees informed the police and a case has been registered.
A police team rushed to the scene after the bank employees informed them of the incident. A hunt was launched to arrest the robbers and recover the money, a police official said.
The second robbery took place at the Nehama branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Pulwama around 3.20 PM, the official said.
A police team has rushed to the spot and the exact amount of cash looted by the armed militants is being ascertained.
Reports say gunmen were involved and looted nearly Rs 1.6 lakh from the branch.
This was the fourth incident of armed robbery in the Valley within three days.
Yesterday, unidentified gunmen barged into the Yaripora branch of the same bank and took away Rs 65,000.
On May 1, militants attacked a cash van of Jammu and Kashmir bank and shot dead five policemen and two bank security guards in Damhal Hanji Pora area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.
The policemen and security guards were returning to the district headquarters after delivering cash at a bank branch.
The ultras had also looted four service rifles from the deceased cops.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today appealed to youth of J&K to help ensure peace in the state.
“Ask what do we achieve from looting of banks and killing of soldiers? Appeal to youth of J&K to help us ensure peace in the state,” Mehbooba was quoted as saying by ANI.
