DIMAPUR — In a major breakthrough, Dimapur Police
arrested all five culprits involved in the recent ATM robbery at Kuda village
in Dimapur.
In a press
briefing on Monday, Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, informed
that out of the INR 25, 80,000 looted, INR 13, 50,200 has been recovered from
the accused.
It may be
noted that the heist took place on the intervening night of February 19 and 20.
Following
the incident, a special investigation team (SIT) led by Assistant Commissioner
of Police, East Dimapur, Imkongsangba, assisted by IPS probationer Aekant Jain
and three other members, wasformed.
Earlier, 21
days after the robbery, Dimapur Police apprehended four of the five accused
from Assam. The arrest of the fifth accused was announced in Monday’s press
briefing.
The CP
informed that after arresting the accused, it was revealed that the miscreants
used oxy-LPG cutters to break the safe chambers of the ATM. Upon interrogation,
the miscreants also reportedly confessed that they initially attempted to loot
the ATM on February 13, but failed due to a gas pressure regulator malfunction.
Subsequently,
they purchased a new gas pressure regulator from Nagaon and returned on
February 19, and after looting the ATM fled to Hojai, Assam.
Along with
the recovered cash, Police also seized a Swift Dzire car and a two-wheeler;
both used in commission of the crime. Efforts are on to recover another Swift
car involved in the same case, Sophie said.
A search
operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is also currently
underway to retrieve the gas cutter, which the accused confessed to have
disposed of in Dhansiri River.
Mentioning
that the ATM heist might possibly be the first of its kind in Eastern India
where the miscreants involved have been successfully arrested, the CP also said
that the five arrested have admitted to looting three ATMs prior to the Kuda
ATM robbery.
“This is a
nationwide gang that operates without state boundaries or jurisdiction,
carrying out lootings across India,” Sophie said and added that apprehending
them will help solve several other cases.
The
individuals arrested earlier from Assam have been identified as Sana Ullah,
Amir Hussain, Raja Deb and Harun Rashi. Police did not divulge identity of the
fifth accused arrested from Dimapur citing ongoing investigation.
