KARACHI: Armed robbers on Wednesday injured two security guards after storming into a local bank branch in Defence, took everyone inside hostage, collected Rs1.2 million in cash and fled within a few minutes, police said.

The Gizri police said three armed men pulled up their silver Suzuki Mehran car outside Habib Bank Limited (Islamic Branch) in Commercial Avenue, Phase 7, Defence Housing Authority, went near the two private security guards outside the bank’s main gate and attacked them.

They shot at guard Mohammad Sultan in the leg and hit guard Asghar Ali with a heavy object after storming into the bank, said Mohammad Muslim, a duty officer at the Gizri police station, while speaking to Dawn.

He quoted bank manager, Abdul Matin Baig, as saying that the armed men were young and stockily built. They took everyone inside the bank hostage, stuffed Rs1,252,684 in the bags they had brought with them and sped away in their car.

The heist was committed in eight minutes, the manager mentioned in the FIR.

The police said they had seized the CCTV tapes, which would help them a lot in arresting the robbers.

“We have seen the video that gives ample help in identifying those involved in the crime,” said another police official.

Mr Muslim added that eyewitnesses had noted the registration number of the car used in crime. He said the way the robbers used the car so carelessly gave rise to the suspicion that they might have snatched it from someone before the heist. The police, however, was inquiring about it.

The police registered a case against unidentified robbers.

The injured security guards were meanwhile shifted to a hospital where their condition is said to be stable.