Begusarai: A cash van driver today fled with Rs 83 lakh belonging to State Bank of India in Barauni Refinery area in Begusarai district, police said.

The incident took place when the money was being taken by a company named CMS for installing it into the ATMs in the area, Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar said.

“A security guard and two CMS staff were also traveling in the cash van. They got down with Rs 20 lakh cash to put into an ATM and the driver drove ahead. When the guard and the staff objected to it, the driver said that he would take a u-turn from ahead and went away,” said Kumar.

The SP said when the driver did not return, the others arranged a motorcycle and searched in the direction in which the driver had taken the vehicle, but could not find him.

“The police got information about the incident after over 90 minutes. We found the cash van abandoned at a place, but no trace of the driver and the money kept in bags. We are suspecting the involvement of other persons too,” Kumar said.

The SP said the police has managed to trace the name and the address of the driver and has launched a manhunt for him.