Shillong, January 24 (NNN): In a daring robbery, a group of eight armed men looted Rs.93 lakhs (ninety three lakhs) from the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank in Khliehriat, Jaintia Hills, in broad daylight, at about 12 in the afternoon today.

The incident occurred during the lunch recess of the bank, when eight group armed with AK-47s and small arms, barged into the bank and took everyone present there hostage at gunpoint.

Some of the members than proceeded towards the stronghold and made good with the cash.

Most of the staff and customers of the bank were ordered by the group to bend down, as the group carried the cash to their parked vehicles and fled with the booty.

The Director General of Police, L Sailo said "the group conversed in Khasi and Jaintia as they were carrying out the operation".

He attributed the robbery as the handiwork of local miscreants conversant with the area.

The Chairman of the Bank, G Malliemngap, stated that a three-member team comprising of 'high officials' from the bank have rushed to Khliehria to investigate and also to file an FIR regarding the incident.

This is the second robbery on the Meghalaya Cooperative Bank in a span of two years.

The earlier robbery took place at its Mawkhar Branch here in Shillong about two years back.

The Chairman of the Bank, however, denied that miscreants were targeting the bank as a soft target.

"Our security is one of the best, we recruit security guard after due recommendation of the Sainik board", Malliemngap said.

Malliemngap further ruled out the hand of insiders giving specific information about the banks daily deposit, which was today very high by average.

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