Mange Ram's body was discovered in a corridor opposite the cash counter by the staff of the State Bank of India, Bartan Market branch, on October 9, last year. The police rushed there to find one bottle of liquor, two empty quarts and some food. This they said indicated a friendly entry. The attackers were obviously known to the guard. The police also found that the assailants had also tried to break open the cupboards and drawers.

The post-mortem subsequently revealed that Mange Ram had been strangled. But at this point the police were clueless. Their problems were compounded by the fact that hundreds of people visit the bank daily. A detailed of list of 400 people was finally prepared.

According to an investigating officer: ``During the course of investigation, it transpired that the deceased was in the habit of consuming liquor with some local labourers when he was on night duty.'' Puran Kumar was arrested on March 14, 1999, and his associates Prakash and Ram Bodh were nabbed on March 17.

The police claim that not only would Mange Ram drink with these men but that he would also have sex with them. Taking advantage of this intimacy, the accused decided to loot the bank, allege the police.

On the night of October 8 the men planned a drinking session. They allegedly mixed a tablet in Mange Ram's drink, after which he fell unconscious. They next tried to break open the cupboards and drawers, but were unsuccessful as they didn't have the necessary tools. According to the police, the accused strangled Mange Ram as they feared that he would disclose everything in the morning.

The police are now looking for two of the accused's associates, Surender and Raju.