-Satish Handa

CIA Staff of Ambala police busted a gang of nine youths took away ATM machine carrying Rs 18.46 lakh currency notes in it at Saha 12 km. from Ambala belonging to Central Bank of India in third case of ATM theft reported in Ambala division in three days, besides ATM thefts reported at Kurukshetra and Kaithal. A case was registered by Saha police station on the complaint of Mohit Kumar Bank Manager. Ram Kumar DSP Ambala Cantt told that when robbers failed to break ATM machine lifted the same and police succeeded in arresting six accused within a couple of days with the help of footage of CCTV camera installed outside ATM counter and police cyber crime cell although CCTV camera installed inside the ATM counter was found sprayed with black paint. At the times of incident SP Ambala Abhishek Jorwal and SHO Saha police station were on night patrolling in the same area. Information reveals, there was no guard on duty employed by the bank at the time of theft.

Among those arrested were identified as Sunny Khurana, Himanshu, Raman Thakur, Aman Kathuria all residents of Kuruksetra, Bittu Panchal and Ankit both residents of Jind. DSP told that search for remaining three accused including mastermind in the conspiracy Narender, Amit Kalia and Pintu Lohar are yet absconding and search for their arrest is going on. Police claims recovery of nearly Rs 7 lakh from arrested accused during five days police remand. Police has yet to recover car used in the crime and ATM machine removed by them. According to investigation officer Shamsher Singh Dhull, during police remand Bittu Panchal and his cousin brother Ankit admitted participated in this crime to pay their college fee as well as loan amount, whereas others took Rs one lakh each for enjoyment and major share in robbed amount was to be kept by the mastermind in this conspiracy Narender is yet absconding.

According to police record, as many as four cases of ATM theft attempts and two cases of thefts have been reported at Ambala in past some time. The robbers made attempts to break ATM machines at Dena Bank ATM Ambala Cantt, YES Bank in wholesale cloth market Ambala City and Punjab National Bank ATM at Naraingarh but failed to open cash chamber. When failed to rob HDFC Bank ATM on Hisar Road Ambala City the robbers killed bank guard whose body was lying in the pool of blood.. The robbers took away IDBI ATM machine along with cash in it on Naraingarh Road Ambala City a couple of months ago when failed to damage it.