Two youths assault 70-yr-old ATM guard, vandalise machine

Officials of the Faraskhana police station have launched a manhunt to arrest two unidentified young men for attempting to break open a machine at an ATM booth located a few metres from the Kasba Peth police chowky, in the early hours yesterday. The police are investigating the case based on the CCTV footage they recovered.

A violent swipe: The duo hit the ATM with a water pipe; (inset) CCTV grab of the accused

"As seen in the CCTV footage, two youths in the 20-25 age group entered the Axis Bank ATM around 3.45 am. The security guard, who appears to be around 70, was sitting next to the machine.

One of the offenders, who had covered his face with a handkerchief, tried to withdraw money using a card, but he could not. After this, the miscreants went to the DCB ATM right next to the Axis Bank one. After their attempt to withdraw money here also failed, they returned to the Axis Bank and picked a fight with the guard," inspector Bhanupratap Barge said. The suspects slapped and pushed him into his cabin, he said.

"Then, they took a broken water pipe and smashed the machine. However, they failed to get cash from any of the machines The suspects even pelted stones at the ATM booths," Barge added.

Assistant Police Inspector Geeta Bagawade said the motive behind the crime was unclear. "Whether they wanted to rob the centres or was there some other reason behind their action has not yet been ascertained. We are interrogating the security guard for more leads," she said.

Bagre said that in a meeting conducted a month ago, he had instructed to all the bank officials, in writing, to beef up security at their respective ATM booths.

"The banks are expected to install alarm systems, with a fit person as a security guard at each centre. In today's case, the DCB bank didn't even had a security guard. Many bank officials haven't realised the seriousness in taking necessary measures to secure ATM centres," he said. u00a0

Police appeal
If citizens have any information regardingu00a0the suspects, they should contact Faraskhana police station on this phone number: (020) 2445-2250 u00a0