A 28-year-old graduate allegedly robbed a nationalised bank in Nagpur on Thursday after throwing chilli powder at the employees and fled with Rs 4.53 lakh in cash, the police said.

Shortly after the incident, the police at Sakkardara station arrested Suraj Bhojraj Borkar, a resident of a village in Nagpur, with the entire cash stolen from the State Bank of India.

According to the police, the incident took place at SBI’s Bhande Plot branch in Nagpur around 6 pm when the employees were bringing cash from the ATM.

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The police said the accused had allegedly conducted a recce of the bank before the crime.

“Borkar was waiting to see when the officials would take the cash from the ATM room to the bank. When the officials came out carrying the money, he followed them,” Ramesh Khune, Inspector, said.

The accused then allegedly threw chilli powder at the employees and fled with Rs 4.53 lakh, which was being taken from the ATM.

“A bank employee immediately chased the accused. At the time, personnel from the Beat Marshal and Detection Branch (DB) teams were patrolling the area. They joined the chase and apprehended Borkar about a kilometre from the bank,” the police said.

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“Borkar is currently unemployed. He may have committed the robbery out of greed for money,” said an officer.

The CCTV footage of the incident that has gone viral is being examined as part of the investigation.

Sakkardara police are questioning Borkar to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the robbery and whether he acted alone.