Nabarangpur: Suspected members of an organised criminal gang allegedly used a gas cutter to break open a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM in Umarkot town of Nabarangpur district in the early hours of Friday and fled with more than ₹5.7 lakh in cash, police said.
The incident took place at the SBI ATM located near the old bus stand on Kondagaon Road. According to preliminary reports, the miscreants entered the ATM kiosk between 2 am and 3 am, cut open the cash vault using a gas cutter and escaped after removing the cash.
The theft came to light in the morning when local residents noticed the damaged ATM during their routine walk and alerted the police.
A police team from Umarkot police station rushed to the spot and launched an investigation. A mobile forensic team also examined the scene and collected evidence.
Preliminary examination of CCTV footage from nearby areas reportedly showed five to six masked persons arriving in a white car, entering the ATM kiosk and fleeing in the same vehicle after carrying out the robbery.
Police suspect the involvement of an organised dacoit gang, though officials said the exact sequence of events and identities of the accused would be established only after completion of the investigation.
Nabarangpur Superintendent of Police Kashyap Parth Jagdish visited the spot and reviewed the investigation. SDPO Shubhendu Sabar, Umarkot IIC Jugal Sabar and other police personnel were also present during the preliminary inquiry.
An FIR has been lodged by the State Bank of India at Umarkot police station, and a case has been registered. Police are examining CCTV footage, forensic evidence and other leads to identify and arrest those involved.
The incident has also raised concerns over the security arrangements at ATM kiosks in the region. Police said the investigation is underway.
