The Great Heist: How Thieves Dug a 125-Foot Tunnel for a Bank Robbery

An Unprecedented Bank Robbery

You may have heard numerous tales of theft, but have you come across one where the criminals excavated a 125-foot tunnel? Yes, this remarkable heist took place in India, where the thieves made off with nearly ₹100 crores. This incident is considered one of the largest thefts in the country. Let's delve into the details of when, where, how, and who executed this audacious crime.

The robbery occurred in 2014 at the Punjab National Bank located in Sonipat. This incident marks the most significant bank heist in Haryana's history. The robbers dug a 125-foot tunnel to carry out their plan, starting from an abandoned house adjacent to the bank. The tunnel, measuring two and a half feet wide, led directly into the bank's strong room, which housed 360 lockers.

These lockers contained millions worth of jewelry and other valuables. The thieves accessed the strong room through the tunnel and managed to break into 86 lockers, stealing a fortune in jewelry.

Shock for the Bank Manager
When the bank manager arrived the next day at the storage area where the lockers and strong room were located, he was taken aback. Nearly half of the lockers were left open, with items scattered across the floor, and a large hole in the ground next to the locker wall. This was the very tunnel through which the robbers had entered the bank.

No Trace of the Stolen Money
Bank manager Devendra Malik promptly informed the police. A team entered the tunnel and discovered its other end after about a hundred feet. It was revealed that the robbers had accessed the house through a window to dig the tunnel. Currently, a specialized police team is investigating the case, scrutinizing the roles of bank staff, locker owners, and others involved. Authorities believe that those connected to this massive bank robbery must have some link to the bank. As of now, the thieves remain unidentified.