Balasore: Giving an open challenge to police, unidentified miscreants Friday night looted Rs 36 lakh from two automated teller machines (ATMs) at two different places in Balasore district.
According to reports, the robbers decamped with nearly Rs 26 lakh from one ATM in Sunhaat and Rs 10 lakh from the State Bank of India (SBI) ATM at ITI chhak late last night.
The matter came to light this morning after a few locals reported the incident at the local police station.
Meanwhile, senior police officials informed that the miscreants used advanced equipment including gas cutters to break open both the ATMs.
"At around 5 am, I got a call from chief manager that fire has been reported at Sunhaat ATM and when we reached there we saw that the machine has completely been gutted. It appears that miscreants looted the cash after breaking it open with gas cutters," said Rameswar Behera, Balasore SBI ATM in-charge.
Police further suspect that the miscreants had come in a Bolero vehicle having no registration number. Following the incident, special police teams have been formed to carry out further investigation into this case.
"Miscreants have decamped with cash from two ATMs and already forensic experts have reached the spot. We will form police teams to nab the miscreants," said Balasore SP, B Jugal Kishore.