Customers lay siege to Haryana bank after tunnel heist

Claiming that they had lost millions in the form of jewellery and cash, angry customers of a state-run bank Tuesday laid siege to the bank branch in Haryana after officials found that burglars had dug a 125 feet-long tunnel to reach the locker room.

The incident took place at the Punjab National Bank branch in Gohana in Sonipat district.

The upset customers, including many women, held a protest outside the bank and said they will not leave till the bank authorities take immediate action against the bank staff and also compensate the customers for their loss.

The burglars broke into at least 90 lockers after tunnelling through from an abandoned building near the bank branch. The tunnel was dug under a street.

The customers said their losses could run into crores of rupees. The locker room had over 360 lockers.

"We have lost all our hard earned money and valuables. The bank has to compensate us for that," an agitated woman customer said.

While the bank guard, who was being questioned, said he had not heard any noise inside the bank Sunday night, customers said the authorities had not even installed CCTV cameras in the locker room.