Lakhs of rupees were allegedly looted from an ATM of the State Bank of India (SBI) at Saramuhan under Patanagarh block of Bolangir district on Sunday. Following a complaint, Patanagarh Police has started an investigation into the loot. Cash worth Rs 7.5 lakh was allegedly stolen.
As per reports, the ATM was replenished with cash last evening. In the morning, locals found the ATM kiosk broken and immediately informed the police. Electric wires connected to the kiosk, CCTV, and the ATM were found snapped and burnt.
Police started an investigation into the matter with the help of a scientific team while the CCTV footage at the site and nearby areas were being checked.
The investigating team suspected that as wires connected to the ATM were cut off, the miscreants might have first snapped the power supply before breaking open the ATM and decamping with the cash.
However, no one was arrested till the time of filing of this report.
It was also learned that the batteries of the ATM were stolen in the past. The accused have not been caught, it was alleged.