Dehradun: A SBI official was found murdered, actuating protestations from bank staff, who closed down all arms of the bank on Thursday even as police force claimed to have settled the case with the arrest of five persons.

The body of Kamal Gairola was found lying in a pool of blood inside the SBI's ONGC extension counter, in Kaulagarh, where he was working as its in-charge, last evening.

DIG (Garhwal) Ashok Kumar told that the police force apprehended suspected mastermind Mohammad Mustafa, who comes from Begusarai area of Bihar, together with four others.

The police stated that the murder came to light when a few bank employees carrying cash went into the branch. Gairola had been continually pierced with a pointed weapon.

Gairola was at once rushed to a government hospital where he was announced brought dead.

As the news of Gairola’s murder spread, angry SBI staff shut down all branches of the bank here. They also held a rally and blocked traffic for about one hour.

Mr. kumar said the attackers ran off with Rs. 88,000 after attacking Gairola. He added that all the five have confessed their misdeed.

All the SBI branches, however, opened in the noon following the arrest of the five criminated.