It began like a Bollywood thriller, a small-town bank, masked men, and a heist worth crores. On the evening of September 16, three armed robbers stormed the State Bank of India branch in Chadchan, Vijayapura district, and escaped with ₹21 crore in gold and cash after tying up staff members.
Over the next few weeks, the case turned into a two-state pursuit involving seven special police teams. Investigators traced the gang&rsquo;s movements across Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Bihar, piecing together clues that eventually led to four arrests.
Three suspects, all in their early twenties were nabbed from&nbsp;Samastipur in Bihar, while a fourth, believed to be the mastermind, was caught in Maharashtra. According to Vijayapura SP Laxman Nimbargi, &ldquo;The accused had conducted multiple reconnaissance visits to the bank and even stole a car in Mangalwedha for use in the crime.&rdquo; From his possession, police recovered gold bangles and a motorcycle used in the heist.
The big breakthrough came by accident, literally. On September 21, the gang&rsquo;s getaway vehicle, a Maruti Eeco, crashed near Hulajanti village in Solapur district. As locals gathered, one of the robbers brandished a pistol before fleeing, abandoning the loot-laden car.
When police arrived, they found nearly a kilogram of gold jewellery and over ₹1 lakh in cash inside. A search of nearby houses revealed even more 6.54 kg of gold and ₹41 lakh in cash stashed in a discarded bag. Officers also recovered additional gold and money from locals who had picked up items scattered at the crash site.
The investigation is far from over. Two more suspects have been identified, and police say the operation to nab them is underway. With a mix of old-school detective work and modern surveillance, Karnataka Police have managed to turn a chaotic trail of clues into one of the biggest crime breakthroughs of the year.

Two-State Chase Cracks ₹21 Cr SBI Heist Case

A dramatic car crash, a Bihar link, and a gold trail, how Karnataka Police solved the SBI

Two-State Chase Cracks ₹21 Cr SBI Heist Case

A dramatic car crash, a Bihar link, and a gold trail, how Karnataka Police solved the SBI

October 11, 2025 | 21:21 IST