ATM robbery case: K'taka Police shoot two accused in the leg

Kalaburagi (Karnataka), April 26 (IANS) The Karnataka Police, on Saturday, shot two accused persons involved in an ATM robbery case in the leg in Kalaburagi district.

Kalaburagi Police Commissioner S.D. Sharanappa has told the media that the police opened fire in self-defence when the accused attempted to attack them with sharp weapons.

The accused who were shot in the leg have been identified as Tasleem and Sharif.

Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj and Constables Raju, Manjunath, and Firoz were also injured in the incident.

The injured accused and policemen were shifted to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and are currently undergoing treatment, the Police Commissioner said.

Sharanappa said, "Two weeks ago, an ATM robbery case was reported under the jurisdiction of the Kalaburagi Rural Police Station. The SBI ATM was robbed using a gas cutter, and Rs 18 lakh loaded in the ATM machine was stolen. Taking the case seriously, an investigation was launched. Night patrolling was intensified, and nakabandis were set up extensively."

"On Friday night, the police received a tip-off. Based on the leads regarding a suspected white I20 vehicle with an out-of-state registration number plate, technical evidence was collected."

Immediately, the Suburban Assistant Commissioner of Police, Inspectors from University and Suburban Police Stations, and Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj started search operations.

Suburban Police Inspector Santosh and Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj spotted the suspected vehicle near the Begur Industrial area. When the police teams chased the suspects, they deviated from the main road, took a crossroad, and stopped at a dead end, Sharanappa added.

When the police approached to verify them, two of the suspects attacked the officers with sharp weapons. The police then fired at the accused in the leg in self-defence, he said.

The accused had looted Rs 18 lakh from an SBI ATM located near Ramanagar on the Kalaburagi Ring Road during the early hours of April 9.

The robbers had sprayed black paint on the CCTV cameras and used a gas cutter to open the ATM and steal the cash loaded into the machine.

The cash had been loaded into the ATM on April 8 evening.

After observing the movements and taking advantage of the absence of the security guard at the ATM centre, the accused carried out the crime.

--IANS

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