A forensic team collecting evidence from the scene where two bike-borne robbers decamped with a cash box containing ₹93 lakh after they opened fire at two ATM refilling agents in Bidar on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: GOPICHAND T.
Additional Director General of Police (Crime) P. Harishekaran said that a team was sent to Hyderabad to arrest two suspects involved in the killing of ATM refilling staff and theft of ₹93 lakh in Bidar on Thursday.
Addressing a media conference at the office of the Superintendent of Police in Bidar on Friday after visiting the scene of the crime in front of the head office of State Bank of India at Chhatrapati Shivaji Circle in the city, Mr. Harishekaran said that the Bidar police had formed eight teams to nab the culprits.
“Our Crime Department police and the teams formed to nab the culprits worked in coordination. They have worked on the Call Detail Record (CDR) and the CCTV footage to track the movements of the robbers. The Maharashtra and Telangana police have cooperated with us to crack the case. The case is almost solved. Our team has already been dispatched to Hyderabad to nab the culprits,” Mr. Harishekaran said. He added that the police had gathered information about the involvement of the culprits in similar crimes in the past.
“The Maharashtra and Telangana police cooperated with us on the case. We had formed eight teams to nab the culprits who shot dead the cash management staff and made away with the cash. The teams were sent to Kalaburagi and Hyderabad. Two of the accused were planning to book travel tickets in Hyderabad. Our team members were in the travel agency monitoring the movements of the accused. However, the accused became suspicious and opened fire on the manager of the travel agency,” Mr. Harishekaran said.
P. Harishekaran
| Photo Credit:
File Photo
To a question, the officer said that the operation to nab the culprits was still on in association with the Hyderabad police and expressed confidence that they would be nabbed shortly. Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Ajay Hilory was present.
Compensation for family
Meanwhile, Forest Minister and Bidar in-charge Eshwara Khandre and Municipal Administration Minister Rahim Khan visited the spot and received information on the progress of the investigation from the police. “The investigation is on. I have directed the police to nab the culprits and bring them to justice at the earliest,” Mr. Khandre told media representatives.
Mr. Khandre also met the family members of Giri Venkatesh, the security staff who was killed by the robbers, and consoled them.
“Giri Venkatesh has laid down his life while discharging his duty to safeguard public money. The government will extend all possible help to his kith and kin. I have already discussed this with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and appealed to him to sanction ₹10 lakh in compensation to the family of the deceased. We are also exploring the possibility of employing a family member of the deceased in the Social Welfare Department on a contract basis,” Mr. Khandre said.
Published – January 17, 2025 09:59 pm IST
