Hazaribagh, Oct 07: Armed activists of the banned Maoist Communist Centre raided a branch office of State Bank of India, abducted three officials and looted cash worth Rs three lakh at Banaso under Vishnugarh Police Station in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district today, police said. Superintendent of Police Anurag Gupta said that around 25 MCC men armed with sophisticated weapons stormed the bank, took the officials - R K Maheshwari, manager, R K Sinha, deputy manager and A K Hembram, another official hostage and broke open the strongroom of the bank spraying bullets. They forced the officials to board a vehicle and fled away.

They looted Rs 3 lakh in cash from the strong room, Gupta said.

Hazaribagh and Bokaro police have launched a joint combing operation to arrest the extremists and secure release of the officials.

Bureau Report