A sophisticated gang's successful theft from an unguarded ATM in Ludhiana has triggered a major push from the city's top police official for stricter security mandates from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The incident, which occurred on December 27 in Kailash Nagar, has exposed a critical vulnerability in Punjab's ATM network, with police linking the same syndicate to at least five other robberies in Kapurthala and Jalandhar.
Police Commissioner Demands RBI Intervention
Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma has formally petitioned the state's Director General of Police (DGP) to escalate the matter to the RBI. Sharma argues that banks, which levy transaction fees on customers, bear a fundamental responsibility to protect those assets. His core demand is for the RBI to mandate physical security at all ATM kiosks.
"It is usually the ATMs not attached to a bank branch that remain guardless at night," Sharma stated. He pointed out that while there were directions to close such kiosks at night if unguarded, this measure is failing. "The robbers are specifically hunting for these unguarded sites," he emphasized, highlighting the organized nature of the crime.
A Pattern of Precision and Professionalism
The latest heist unfolded around 2 am when the gang found the main shutter of a standalone ATM kiosk in Kailash Nagar unlocked. Demonstrating professional precision, the thieves used a gas cutter to slice through the machine. In a move that suggests intimate knowledge of ATM security layouts, they located and removed the Digital Video Recorder (DVR), ensuring they left no digital footprint behind.
Inspector Jasvir Singh, head of the Jodhewal police station, confirmed the challenge. "The accused were very well aware of where the DVR was housed. Because they took the footage with them, we do not have images of the suspects," he said. Investigators are now relying on other regional leads to track the gang. The total amount stolen in this raid is yet to be confirmed by the bank.
A Glaring and Persistent Security Gap
This incident is not isolated. The use of gas cutters and spray paint to disable security has become a hallmark of ATM robberies in the region. Over the past four years, Ludhiana district alone has witnessed several high-value thefts employing similar methods. The pattern reveals a clear targeting of isolated machines that lack night-shift guards, indicating that criminal syndicates are systematically exploiting this security gap across Punjab.
The police action underscores a growing frustration with banks' security protocols for off-site ATMs. The call for RBI intervention aims to transform physical security from a recommendation into a compulsory requirement, hoping to shut the door on organized crime that has found an easy target in unguarded cash kiosks.
