Hindupur (PTI): Burglars struck at an SBI bank branch without a guard in Andhra Pradesh and decamped with 10 kg gold and Rs 38 lakh cash, said a police official on Tuesday.

The incident happened in Thumukunta village in Sri Sathyasai district, they added.

Hindupur sub-divisional police officer KV Mahesh said the burglary occurred on Sunday around 2:00 am, and the incident came to the notice of the police on Monday.

"It (burglary) happened here at SBI Branch Thumukunta, Hindupur mandal. Rs 38 lakh cash and 10 kg of gold (was stolen)," Mahesh told PTI, adding that the thieves were suspected to have stayed in the bank for about two hours.

According to Mahesh, one person was seen in the bank's surveillance footage before he destroyed that system and police suspect that others would have come later.

"There is a big window with little security, and they haven't had a watchman in the last four years. And that window has two to three grills where you can bend it easily, even with your hand. That is the kind of security they have," said Mahesh.

The Inspector of Police had cautioned them three months ago about the security lapses and they didn't care about it, he said. Meanwhile, Police registered a case over the theft and are on the hunt for the thieves.

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New Delhi (PTI): Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday led Parliamentarians in paying floral tributes to those who died fending off terrorists who attacked the Parliament House in 2001.

On the 24th anniversary of the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Radhakrishnan, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chair, were among the first to offer tributes.

A brief function is held outside the now old Parliament building (Samvidhan Sadan) every December 13 to mark the day.

CISF personnel presented a salute or "samman guard" at the venue, after which a moment of silence was observed to mark the anniversary. Till 2023, the CRPF used to offer 'salami shastra' (present arms).

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a senior party leader, were also present at the event. Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Jitendra Singh and Arjun Ram Meghwal also lined up to offer flower petals at the photographs of the personnel who went down foiling the attack.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is in Latur to attend the funeral of former speaker of the Lower House of Parliament and ex-Union minister Shivraj Patil.

The attack was carried out by five armed terrorists, but personnel from the now former Parliament Security Service, CRPF and Delhi Police foiled the attack, with no terrorist being able to enter the building.

Six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Service personnel, a gardener and a TV video journalist were killed in the attack. All five terrorists were gunned down in the forecourt of the then Parliament building.