Noida ATM robbery: No trace of stolen ₹20 lakh yet

Following the looting incident, approximately ₹20,35,000 fell from the bag as one of the suspects abandoned the motorcycle and escaped, while the other, identified as Nanhe, was apprehended.

The second suspect in the ATM robbery in Noida Sector 82 remained unidentified 36 hours after the incident. The missing ₹20 lakh have also not been traced.

Police conducted verification of persons riding motorcycles at all major points in Noida such as Sector 18 market, Atta market and Noida city center, among many others following the robbery by motorcycle-borne duo at a SBI ATM in Sector 82 on Feb 19, 2019. (Sunil Ghosh / HT Photo)

The district, however, saw increased checking of two-wheelers on Wednesday in response to the recent spate of robberies.

On Tuesday, two men had approached an SBI ATM kiosk in Sector 82 where a cash van had stopped to replenish it. The suspects fired indiscriminately at the armed security guards and looted a bag containing ₹40 lakh.

They then reached the Sector 110 intersection on their motorcycle, where a WagonR car rammed them from behind and the suspects fell on the road. Approximately ₹20,35,000 fell from the bag as one of the suspects abandoned the motorcycle and escaped, while the other, identified as Nanhe, was apprehended.

Meanwhile, as cash was spilled out from the bag, several onlookers rushed in to grab wads of currency, according to eyewitness accounts. Some notes even fell in the drain and a few men jumped in it to fetch them.

Although eyewitnesses said the other accused fled without any money, police said they want to nab him before confirming this.

Nanhe was produced before a magistrate and sent to jail Wednesday.

Read | ‘Just like in movies’: As cash and bullets fly, people loot over ₹20 lakh robbed by armed men in Noida

A complaint was filed in the case by Raju, an employee of the company handling the cash transfer. He said that they had left their Sector 11 office with ₹1.3 crore on Tuesday morning and the SBI ATM was the third one on their route. He was with a colleague, a driver and an armed guard at the time.

Based on his complaint, a case was registered at the Phase 2 police station under Sections 394 (Voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) and 411 (Dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said that three teams are working to trace the other man.

“We have questioned the man in custody and have a few leads. We will nab the suspect soon,” senior superintendent of police, Vaibhav Krishna, said. He said efforts are also on to trace the missing money.

“At this point, we cannot be sure if the public decamped with the missing money or the robber, or whether it was lost in the drain nearby. Once we arrest him, we will know more. However, we are working to trace any person who may have taken the money,” Krishna said.

He said if any person who took away some of the money is found, he or she will be interrogated. “The money will be taken back and we will take due legal action. So far, no one has been booked,” Krishna said.

Checking of two-wheelers increased

Multiple robberies carried out in the last two days by motorcycle-borne persons saw police increase checking of two-wheelers across the Gautam Budh Nagar district.

Police conducted verification of credentials of persons riding motorcycles at all major points such as Sector 18 market, Atta market, Noida City Centre, sector 12-22 intersection, Parthala Chowk, Gaur Chowk and Sector 82 turn in Phase 2, among others.

“It was routine checking focused on two-wheelers and checkpoints had been set up at nearly 50 points all across the district,” the senior police officer said.

Police said that the idea was to identify suspicious characters and also get leads regarding robberies that have taken place over past few days.