Karnataka: Money heist-style ATM van robbery in broad daylight, ₹92 lakh stolen, 1 killed, 1 injured

Police have confirmed that standard protocols were not followed during the cash transfer.

Updated on: Jan 17, 2025, 08:42:31 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Anagha Deshpande

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In a brazen daylight robbery, two armed men fled with a trunk containing ₹92 lakh after attacking employees of a private cash handling agency in Karnataka’s Bidar on Thursday.

The attackers initially tried to snatch the cash trunk but, faced with resistance, threw chilli powder at the employees. (X/@Chethan_Surya_S)

The incident, which unfolded near the State Bank of India’s main branch, left one employee dead and another critically injured, Deccan Herald reported.

The deceased has been identified as Giri Venkatesh Mallappa, 37, while the injured employee, Shivakumar, 35, is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU of a private hospital in Hyderabad.

According to police, the victims, employees of CMS, a private agency responsible for transporting and loading cash into ATMs, were targeted while transferring a cash trunk from the SBI branch into their vehicle around 10.30 am. As the duo handled the trunk, two assailants arrived on a motorcycle and launched a violent attack. The video of the incient was widely shared on social media.

Watch the video here:

The attackers initially tried to snatch the cash trunk but, faced with resistance, threw chilli powder at the employees, the report further added. When the victims continued to resist, the assailants opened fire, fatally wounding Mallappa and severely injuring Shivakumar. The attackers then grabbed the trunk and sped away on their bike, as seen in the video.

According to the DH report, eyewitnesses said the assailants fired shots into the air to deter onlookers who attempted to intervene by throwing stones. Despite the chaos, the suspects managed to flee the busy area, which is located near key landmarks such as the Deputy Commissioner’s office and the district court complex.

Police have confirmed that standard protocols were not followed during the cash transfer.

The police have launched an intensive investigation to trace the culprits and recover the stolen cash.

(Also Read: Karnataka HC denies Prajwal Revanna access to digital evidence of other victims)

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