Coimbatore : Panic gripped in Tatabad area when the alarm attached to a nationalised bank rang in the early hours of today.

The alarm rang around 2 AM, alerting the watchman of the bank and also waking up the nearby residents, who came out in panic, police said.

On information from the watchman, senior bank officials rushed to the spot and along with police. went inside to check whether any robbers had entered the bank.

Since there was no one inside, the officials closed the bank without knowing the reason for ringing of the alarm and leaving the public in surprise.