Bidar: A bike-borne armed robber-duo fired six rounds on the security personnel, killing one of them and injuring another when they decamped with Rs 93 lakh cash meant to be loaded at the SBI ATM, near the district collectorate, here on Thursday.
Police said the cash loading staff had arrived at the ATM centre on the busy Shivaji Chowk at around 10.30 am when the incident occurred. The deceased was identified as Giri Venkatesh, a security guard, part of the cash loading party.
Eyewitnesses said the robbers opened six rounds of fire to neutralise the security personnel and flee with the cash. Police have barricaded all roads leading to Shivaji Chowk, while forming different parties to nab the suspect.
Sources said the cash chest the robbers fled with had Rs 93 lakhs meant to be loaded onto different ATMs in the headquarters of the district.
CCTV visuals showed the robbers laying in wait for the cash management service personnel to arrive with the cash. The duo was seen tailing the workers, toting guns towards the security personnel. As they opened fire, it caused a flutter with everyone in the vicinity running helter-skelter. One of the security personnel wearing a backpack was seen backing away while the other was seen trying to prevent the robbers. In a split second, the one who backed away also was seen joining the attempt to thwart the robbery. The video showed the one who tried to guard the cash chest collapsing on the road while one of the robbers was seen leaving with it.
One robber was seen starting the getaway bike which he had parked in front of the cash handling vehicle. As he started the bike, the other one with the cash chest was seen attempting to board the bike. Visuals showed him falling down, losing balance due to the currency chest's weight. As the rider tried to help him, he too lost balance and somehow managed to keep the cash chest over the fuel tank. After this struggle, the robber-duo was seen fleeing the spot. In the video, the onlookers were seen rushing to see what had happened to the security personnel.
In one of the videos recorded by an onlooker from the spot showed the duo making their way while the security guard who sustained bullet injuries was seen writhing in pain. Sources said the robber-duo first sprinkled chilli powder on the security guard before they opened fire from a handgun.
District SP Pradeep Gunte, Additional SP Chandrakanta Pujari and other senior officers have conducted spot investigations and the police are poring over the CCTV visuals collected from the bank's ATM.
According to Gunte, the robbers struck at 10.30 am when the security personnel from the cash loading service came to fill money at the SBI ATM.
"The security agency personnel were involved in depositing the money in the SBI Bank ATM. Two persons who had come on a bike opened fire at the security personnel. In the firing, one was killed and another suffered bullet injuries. The accused escaped with the huge amount and we have launched a search for the absconding. We are awaiting information from the bank about the quantum of money lost" the SP said.
