“The ATM was found broken and cash was stolen. There was no security guard on duty and no instant surveillance arrangements were observed at the site,” the SSP said.
Masked robbers broke open and looted a State Bank of India ATM at Khajurala village near Phagwara in the early hours of Saturday.
According to Police, an unidentified group of persons entered an ATM machine belonging to the State Bank of India and took all contents of cash stored inside it by breaking the door down.
Madhvi Sharma, who is the Senior Superintendent of Police at Phagwara, has indicated that the failure to have a guard present at an ATM machine was negligent in light of a previous robbery in March 2022 where ₹23 lakh was stolen from a nearby ATM machine.
“The ATM was found broken and cash was stolen. There was no security guard on duty and no instant surveillance arrangements were observed at the site,” the SSP said.
The police are examining CCTV footage from nearby locations to identify the culprits.
“Stern action will be taken against the bank authorities for negligence and non-compliance with security norms,” the SSP said.
Bank representatives were not aware of the precise total of money stolen since the event took place on a bank holiday. The SSP stated that neither the relevant bank manager nor the zonal security head reacted adequately despite the police’s constant follow-ups.
A case has been filed under applicable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation is in progress.
