ATM Heist Incident: Karnataka Police Wound Two Suspects

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Karnataka Police shot two suspected robbers.
- Incident occurred in Kalaburagi district.
- Cash stolen from an ATM amounts to Rs 18 lakh.
- Police acted in self-defence.
- Investigation led to intensified night patrols.
Kalaburagi (Karnataka), April 26 (NationPress) - On Saturday, the Karnataka Police shot two individuals in the leg who were implicated in an ATM robbery case in Kalaburagi district.
According to Kalaburagi Police Commissioner S.D. Sharanappa, the police were compelled to open fire in self-defence when the suspects attempted to assault them with sharp weapons.
The suspects who sustained leg injuries have been identified as Tasleem and Sharif.
During the confrontation, Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj and Constables Raju, Manjunath, and Firoz also suffered injuries.
Both the injured suspects and police personnel were transported to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) for treatment, as stated by the Police Commissioner.
Sharanappa revealed, “Two weeks prior, an ATM robbery was reported under the jurisdiction of the Kalaburagi Rural Police Station. An SBI ATM was breached using a gas cutter, resulting in the theft of Rs 18 lakh from the machine. The case was taken seriously, prompting an investigation. Night patrols were increased, and extensive nakabandis were established.”
“On Friday night, police received a tip-off regarding a suspicious white I20 vehicle with out-of-state registration. Technical evidence was collected and acted upon,” he added.
Immediately, the Suburban Assistant Commissioner of Police, along with inspectors from the University and Suburban Police Stations, and Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj, initiated search operations.
Suburban Police Inspector Santosh and Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj located the suspected vehicle near the Begur Industrial area. When the police pursued the suspects, they diverted from the main road and halted at a dead end, according to Sharanappa.
Upon attempting to approach the suspects for verification, two individuals assaulted the officers with sharp weapons. The police then fired at the suspects' legs in self-defence, he explained.
The accused had stolen Rs 18 lakh from an SBI ATM situated near Ramanagar on the Kalaburagi Ring Road during the early hours of April 9.
The robbers had obscured CCTV cameras with black paint and utilized a gas cutter to access the ATM and seize the cash.
The cash had been deposited into the ATM on the evening of April 8. Taking advantage of the absence of a security guard at the ATM center, the accused executed the theft.