Three armed goons forcibly entered an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) centre in Mansarovar Park on Friday and robbed Rs 39 lakh when the machine was being replenished with cash.
It appears that the robbers had prior information about the arrival of the cash-carrying van. When the people entered the ATM centre to load the money; two goons entered behind them and brandished their country-made pistols. They looted the cash box and fled.
According to police, the incident took place at around 11:50 am. The ATM of Union Bank of India was located at the house of one SN Gupta. Four people had gone to load the cash in the cash-carrying van .
Jitendra (driver) and Sahab Singh (guard) remained seated in the car, while Akash and Prem Singh (staff members) entered the ATM to replenish the cash. Immediately, one of the robbers went to the van and hit the driver twice with the butt of his gun. He then took snatched the guard's rifle. Meanwhile, the other two goons went to the ATM and looted the cash box. They then ran towards their car, in which the driver was ready to accelerate.
"They had come prepared and had parked their 'Wagon-R' car near the cash van. They came out running and fled from the spot with the money," said RK Sharma, an eyewitness. The cash van belonged to ISSSDB Pvt ltd Company. They were coming from Karkardooma with the money. A radio taxi was hired to deposit the cash. It had railings on all the glasses except the front one.
"The accused did not have their faces covered. They walked inside and looted the ATM. The camera inside the ATM was not working, but we have got clues through other cameras and the accused would be nabbed soon," said a police official.
This indicates that the robbers were well aware of this. The movements of the security guard at the ATM and his accomplices are being investigated to know if he was in cahoots with the robbers. Police have registered a case of robbery at Mansarovar Park Police station and investigation is on, the official added.