ATM stolen in Shopian, 8th in south Kashmir this year
Shopian: Unidentified men decamped with an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of Jammu and Kashmir Bank late last night from the premises of sub district hospital Shopian, police sources said.
They said that the men had ripped off the machine from the ground and fled with it in a vehicle they had brought along. The men also broke the glasses and the CCTV camera installed in the premises of the ATM so as not to leave any proof about the incident.
Station House Officer Shopian Gulzar Ahmad while confirming the incident said that the ATM was stolen which contained 4 lakh 20 thousand and 2 hundred rupees.
He added that they have registered a case with FIR no 295 of 2017 under section 380 and 457 and investigation to nab the culprits has been initiated.
Pertinently, this is the eight such robbery in south Kashmir since January this year. Many banks have also been looted at gunpoint in the region since November last. While police have blamed militants for Bank robberies and militants refuting the same, the theft of ATM machines have remained a mystery so far.
ATM robberies this year in South Kashmir
January 18: An ATM machine having Rs 14 lakh of cash was stolen from main town Anantnag.
April 21: SBI ATM taken away with Rs 12.18 lakh from KP road area of Anantnag town.
May 31: SBI ATM stolen from Achabal Adda area of Anantnag town. Rs 20.96 lakh were available in the machine.
June 14: Unidentified persons decamped with HDFC ATM containing 5.50 lakh
June 17: SBI ATM machine stolen from Zirapara area of Bijbehara with an unascertained amount in the machine.
31 August: An ATM machine with Rs 22 lakh cash from Brakpora area of Anantnag town.
November 06: unidentified people decamped with an ATM of Punjab National Bank containing 8.2 lakh cash.
KV Correspondent
