Miscreant attacks guard, attempts to break Corp Bank ATM machine

Bangalore, Jul 13: An unidentified miscreant attacked a security guard deployed at a Corporation Bank ATM kiosk at 27th Cross, Agara, in HSR Layout, Southeast Bangalore, and made a futile attempt to break open the machine.

Victim Shamsul Khan (20) from Assam, a resident of Agara, was shifted to Nimhans and is under observation round the clock, doctors told police. "Shamsul sustained injuries on his forehead. He has regained consciousness," doctors told police.

Saturday morning's incident comes barely a year after the murderous assault on a woman inside a Corporation Bank ATM kiosk in the City.

Investigations revealed a miscreant came to the ATM kiosk around 5am, and suddenly attacked Shamsul with a spanner. He later smashed his forehead with a cement brick.

The incident came to light when security guard Ramaswamy arrived to relieve Shamsul. "I saw him lying unconscious and immediately alerted police. We shifted him to Nimhans in an ambulance," he said.

"Shamsul was sitting on a chair when he was attacked. He lost consciousness after sustaining a forehead injury. CCTV footage shows the miscreant walking into the kiosk, switching off the light and trying to open the machine with a spanner. He had to flee as daylight broke, and the road outside got busy," police said.

Though the suspect who attacked the woman is yet to be nabbed, the police are more confident this time as the Closed-Circuit Television Camera (CCTV) installed inside the kiosk is intact and they are hopeful the footage will help them crack the case.

The Corporation Bank ATM near Agara Junction is equipped with all security measures, including burglar alarm. The bank had appointed Junaid Khan as security guard at the ATM. Shamshul is Junaid's brother and he had come to Bangalore only a couple of weeks ago. As Junaid was down with fever, he asked Shamshul to guard the ATM?on Saturday night, the police said.

Shamshul was fast asleep inside the ATM?kiosk when three men barged in around 5.15 am. When the guard resisted their attempt to break open the ATM, the armed robbers attacked him with a machete and he collapsed on the ground. Minutes later, the assailants heard a vehicle approaching and fled, police added.

A senior police official, who did not want to be named, said ATM theft bids were on the rise despite foolproof security measures and blamed bank managements for hiring guards without verifying their antecedents. Most banks were found to employ guards, who work elsewhere during the day, to guard ATMs at night for a meagre salary.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Kamal Pant said, “It is purely the duty of the guard to provide security. But in this case, the guard had sent his brother as a substitute, which is not right. The police have gathered solid clues and are aware of the identity of the miscreants who committed the crime.”