Are Bank Lockers Safe? Faridabad Family Allege Rs 20 Lakh Jewellery Theft from Punjab National Bank, Recount Ordeal to Republic

A Faridabad family has raised serious questions over the safety of bank lockers after alleging that jewellery and valuables worth nearly Rs 20 lakh vanished from their Punjab National Bank (PNB) locker, despite investigators finding no signs of forced opening. Speaking exclusively to Republic TV's Harsh Trivedi, the family described the incident as a nightmare and questioned how their valuables could disappear from a locker kept inside a bank.

The case relates to Locker No. A-46 at PNB's Railway Road branch in Old Faridabad.

According to the FIR, the locker was drilled open on July 28 after the customer's original key failed to operate, although the bank's master key functioned normally. When the locker was opened in the presence of bank officials, the family alleged that it was completely empty. The missing valuables include around 148.5 grams of gold jewellery and seven antique silver coins, valued at Rs 18.02 lakh in the FIR.

Ashish Kapur, the joint locker holder, told Republic TV that the family had trusted the bank with jewellery accumulated over three generations. He questioned how the locker could have been emptied despite remaining under the bank's custody.

Republic Denied Access to PNB Branch

When Republic TV attempted to seek the bank's response, the reporting team was denied entry into the Faridabad branch. Security personnel shut the bank's entrance on camera and refused to allow the team inside, even after the crew offered to leave the camera outside and sought permission merely to speak with the branch manager.

The family maintains that the locker had been operated with the same original key for nearly 12 years before it unexpectedly stopped working on July 21. It was subsequently drilled open on July 28. The family has sought the transfer of the investigation to the Crime Branch or Economic Offences Wing.

FSL Examination Finds No Signs of Forced Opening

Republic TV has also accessed FIR No. 206/2026, registered on July 30 at Old Faridabad Police Station. The Investigating Officer told Republic TV that a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team had examined the locker and no signs of forced opening were found.

The finding has added another layer to the case, with the family questioning how valuables worth nearly Rs 20 lakh could allegedly disappear without apparent signs of forced entry.

The Station House Officer of Old Faridabad Police Station, Vishnu Mittar, declined to comment on the matter.

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