Bengaluru, Jan 16 (IANS) Karnataka BJP has suspected terror link in an incident of a gang of robbers shooting down a security agency staffer, seriously injuring another, and looting an ATM cash vehicle in Karnataka’s Bidar city on Thursday.
Karnataka BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra said that the deadly shooting attack on ATM staff in Bidar is an extremely concerning development.
“The fact that criminals dared to launch such a brazen attack in broad daylight suggests this incident should not be dismissed merely as a robbery. The possibility of terrorist forces being involved cannot be ruled out. The government must take this case very seriously,” he said.
He added that the law-and-order foundation in the state has weakened.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that Karnataka is turning into a lawless state, with crimes such as daylight robberies and heinous assaults on young children occurring regularly, leaving offenders fearless.
He also demanded that the state government immediately take strict action against the culprits and impose severe punishments.
Meanwhile, Minister for Forest and District In-charge of Bidar, Eshwar B Khandre stated on Thursday that he had directed the police to initiate immediate action against the accused who shot dead staff in a shootout in Bidar city.
Earlier, a gang of robbers shot dead a guard, seriously injured another, and looted an ATM cash vehicle in broad daylight in Karnataka’s Bidar city in the limits of Market police station on Thursday.
The incident occurred in front of the State Bank of India (SBI) Main Branch in Bidar city, with the robbers escaping with Rs 93 lakh in cash. The SBI building is adjacent to the District Court and the office of the Deputy Commissioner.
The robbers, who were following the vehicle, attacked the cash van in front of the bank where the ATM was also located when they were lifting down trunks containing cash from the vehicle.
According to police reports, two masked robbers fired five rounds at the ATM vehicle and guards. Following the attack, they made off with a trunk loaded with Rs 93 lakh in cash. Before opening fire, the robbers threw chilli powder on the guards.
One of the guards in the vehicle, 40-year-old Giri Venkatesh, a resident of Chidri locality in Bidar, died on the spot after being shot, while another guard, Shivakumar, sustained critical injuries. the doctors said that Shivakumar’s condition was extremely critical. Shivakumar is being treated at the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS).
The attack occurred at Shivaji Chowk, located in the heart of Bidar city. The robbers, who were riding two motorcycles, carried out the attack, took the cash box, and fled. While carrying one of the trunks loaded with money, the robber falls off and later carries it on the bike. The entire sequence has been recorded on the camera of bystanders.
Although locals raised an alarm, threw stones at them, and attempted to catch them, the robbers managed to dodge and escape.
Sources revealed that both Giri Venkatesh and Shivakumar were employees of CMS Agency, a company that provides ATM cash-filling services.
The robbers, dressed in black jackets and hats, carried backpacks during the attack. Police have obtained CCTV footage and cellphone recordings of the incident and launched a manhunt to apprehend the culprits.
The police have formed three special teams and launched a hunt. The police have erected barricades and conducting inspections of the vehicles. The police sources say they suspect that the robbers are from Bihar and will be nabbed soon.
Rajashekar, the driver of the ATM vehicle, stated that the attack happened when the cash was being filled into the ATM. “I was sitting in front and could not see the robbers. We brought money every day and filled the ATM with cash,” he stated.
“When the incident had happened, the gunman was not in the vehicle. The gunman had told us that he would join us one hour later. I do not know about the robbers throwing chilli powder on the staff,” Rajashekar stated.
The family of the deceased Giri Venkatesh cried foul play and questioned the absence of the gunman has raised many questions. They also staged a protest and demanded compensation from the government.
Panic spread in the area after the attack and loot.
Bidar SP Pradeep Gunti stated that the incident had occurred between 10.55 am and 11 am near the SBI main branch. While filling the ATM with cash, the bike-borne miscreants shot dead one staffer and another who suffered bullet injuries are being treated at the hospital. They had robbed away cash trunks.
–IANS
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