Kota, Jul 20 (PTI) A bag containing Rs 31.50 lakh of a grocery trader was stolen from the cash counter of an ICICI bank branch here on Monday in minutes during which its owner went to a different counter to deposit a pay-in-slip leaving back his bag, said police.

The incident happened at the bank's Char Murti Circle branch under Baran city police station area.

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Police have lodged a case of theft against unidentified accused and efforts are on to trace them, they added.

Baran city police station in-charge Mangilal said the incident happened around 11 am when trader Mahavir Goyal reached the bank to deposit his money.

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Goyal told police that he left his bag with Rs 31.50 lakh at the cash counter and went to an adjoining counter for a few seconds to deposit his pay-in-slip, said the police station in-charge, adding that his bag had disappeared when he returned to the cash counter.

Police suspect involvement of more than one accused in the theft.

They must have been tailing Goyal and removed the bag finding it unguarded, said Mangilal, adding the police are also checking the bank's CCTV footage.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)