Kolkata armed robbery: ₹1.30 crore stolen at gunpoint from Posta mattress store
Synopsis
Four masked, armed men walked into a Kolkata mattress store on Wednesday night knowing exactly where the cash was — and walked out with ₹1.30 crore. Police suspect an insider tip-off, a detail that shifts this from a street crime into something more calculated.
Key Takeaways
Four masked armed men robbed a mattress store on Cotton Street, Posta, Kolkata on Wednesday night .
Cash amounting to ₹1.30 crore was stolen at gunpoint from a chest inside the store.
The robbers threatened to shoot the owner and employees before fleeing with the money in a bag.
Local residents briefly caught one suspect, but the group freed him and all four escaped.
Kolkata Police and Lalbazar detectives are examining CCTV footage and questioning store staff.
Police suspect insider involvement , as robbers appeared to know cash would be present that night.
Armed robbers struck a mattress store on Cotton Street in Kolkata's Posta area on Wednesday night, making off with ₹1.30 crore in cash at gunpoint, according to police. The brazen heist has prompted a full-scale investigation by Kolkata Police, with senior officers and detectives from the Lalbazar headquarters descending on the scene.
How the Robbery Unfolded
According to store workers, four masked men — their faces covered with cloth — entered the premises where more than ₹1 crore in cash had been received and stored in a chest. The robbers pressed firearms to the heads of the owner and employees, emptied the chest into a bag, and fled while threatening to shoot anyone who raised an alarm.
The store owner has alleged that the accused first visited the premises in the afternoon, apparently on a reconnaissance mission, before returning at night to carry out the robbery.
Residents Chase Robbers; One Briefly Caught
Despite the threats, store employees raised an alarm as the robbers fled. Several local residents joined the chase and briefly apprehended one of the accused. However, the other members of the group reportedly freed him, and all four escaped. No arrests have been confirmed as of the latest reports.
Police Response and Investigation
High-ranking Kolkata Police officers rushed to Cotton Street shortly after the incident was reported. Detectives from Lalbazar are examining CCTV footage from the surrounding area to identify and trace the accused. The owner and employees of the store are being questioned.
A senior Kolkata Police official said: 'Search is on for the robbers. Preliminary investigation reveals that someone close to the store could be behind this, as the robbers knew that cash would come to the store. Store employees are being questioned. Investigation is on.'
Insider Angle Under Scrutiny
Police are probing the possibility of inside involvement, given that the robbers appeared to have prior knowledge that a large sum of cash would be present at the store on that particular night. This comes amid broader concerns about organised crime targeting cash-heavy businesses in the city. Investigators have not ruled out any angle at this stage.
The case is under active investigation, and police say further details will emerge as CCTV analysis and witness questioning progress.
Point of View
It raises uncomfortable questions about how cash movements at small businesses become known to criminal networks. Kolkata has seen a pattern of cash-targeted robberies at trading establishments in dense commercial pockets like Posta; the failure of bystanders to hold even one suspect despite a public chase underscores the speed and coordination involved. The pressure on Lalbazar now is not just to catch the accused but to close the intelligence gap that made the crime possible.
NationPress
20 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Kolkata armed robbery take place?
The robbery occurred at a mattress store on Cotton Street in the Posta area of Kolkata on Wednesday night, 20 August 2025. Police confirmed the location after rushing to the scene.
How much money was stolen in the Posta mattress store robbery?
The robbers made off with ₹1.30 crore in cash, which had been stored in a chest inside the store. The money had reportedly arrived at the store earlier that day.
Did police arrest anyone in connection with the Kolkata robbery?
No arrests have been confirmed. Local residents briefly caught one of the four accused during a chase, but his associates freed him and all four escaped. Kolkata Police are reviewing CCTV footage and questioning store employees.
Why do police suspect insider involvement in the robbery?
According to a senior Kolkata Police official, the robbers appeared to know in advance that a large sum of cash would be at the store that night, suggesting a possible tip-off from someone with inside knowledge. Investigators are questioning store employees as part of this line of inquiry.
What is Lalbazar and why is it involved?
Lalbazar is the headquarters of the Kolkata Police and houses its detective department. Detectives from Lalbazar were deployed to the Cotton Street site to lead the investigation given the scale and nature of the armed robbery.
