The recent ATM robbery is part of a recent crime wave in the state, which includes a fatal van robbery in Bidar and an attempted ATM theft in Ballari, indicating a rise in brazen attacks.
Bengaluru: In a daring incident in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district, three masked men looted a State Bank of India branch in Chadchan town on Tuesday evening, escaping with cash and gold ornaments valued at over Rs 20 crore. According to the police, the suspects, armed with country-made pistols and knives, entered the bank around 6:30 pm posing as customers seeking to open an account. Once inside, they threatened the manager, cashier, and other staff before tying them up.
The robbers made off with more than Rs 1 crore in cash and nearly 20 kg of gold ornaments. They fled the scene in a Suzuki EVA vehicle bearing a fake number plate and are believed to have driven towards Pandharpur in Maharashtra. Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi said a case has been registered based on the bank manager’s complaint, and multiple teams are working to track down the culprits. “All efforts are being made to nab the suspects,” he added.
Not the First Such Robbery
Such ATM robberies have been reported across Karnataka recently, highlighting growing lawlessness and brazen attacks. In Bidar, two robbers ambushed an ATM van, fatally shooting the security guard and fleeing with Rs 93 lakh. The attack was captured by an eyewitness on mobile, underscoring the audacity of the criminals. Further, Ballari witnessed a dramatic late-night scene recently when patrol police caught a suspect red-handed while attempting an ATM robbery. ASI Mallikarjun overpowered the thief on the spot, and the entire episode was recorded on CCTV, showing a rare instance of swift police action.
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