In a brazen late-night robbery, an entire Automated Teller Machine (ATM) loaded with cash was stolen from a kiosk in Odisha's Jajpur district. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community and prompted a high-level police investigation.
The Midnight Raid: How the ATM Heist Unfolded
The robbery took place on Thursday night at the Mainda Chhack area under the Binjharpur police station jurisdiction. According to police officials, a gang of around five unidentified men arrived at the location in a van. Captured on nearby CCTV cameras, the miscreants entered the ATM kiosk, forcefully uprooted the heavy machine from its secured base, and loaded it onto their vehicle before driving away into the night.
Dismantling the Machine and Disposing Evidence
The criminals did not stop at just stealing the ATM. In a calculated move, they transported the machine to a field located nearly 300 metres away from the crime scene at Mainda Chhack. There, they proceeded to dismantle the ATM to access the cash inside. Preliminary police information suggests the ATM contained more than Rs 5 lakh at the time of the theft. The gang used tools like axes, gas cutters, and hammers to smash open the machine and loot the money. After securing the cash, they pushed the van into the field in an attempt to dispose of evidence.
Police Investigation and Security Lapses
Ranjan Kumar Mallick, the Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Binjharpur police station, confirmed the details of the case. He highlighted a critical security failure, noting that the ATM kiosk had no security guard deployed during the night, which likely facilitated the criminals' operations. In response, the police have launched a comprehensive probe. Investigative teams, including a scientific team and a sniffer dog squad, have been pressed into service to gather forensic evidence and track the culprits. The police are meticulously examining the CCTV footage and the abandoned van for clues.
This audacious crime underscores the vulnerability of unattended financial infrastructure in isolated areas and raises serious questions about the security protocols for ATMs, especially during night hours. The Jajpur police are now under pressure to crack the case and recover the stolen money.
