Kaliyaganj: Civic volunteer foils ATM loot bid

Raiganj: An attempt to loot an ATM in North Dinajpur’s Kaliyaganj was thwarted in the early hours of Tuesday due to the courage and presence of mind of civic volunteer Biswajit Das. The incident occurred at Simultala under Ward-9, along the Kaliyaganj–Durgapur state highway, when a group of unidentified miscreants arrived in a car and began breaking open an ATM belonging to a nationalised bank.

According to sources, the miscreants first sprayed black paint on the CCTV cameras installed at the ATM kiosk to conceal their identities and then started damaging the cash-dispensing unit. Around that time, civic volunteer Das, who had just finished his duty and was returning home, noticed suspicious activity inside the ATM. Realising it was an attempt to rob the ATM, he immediately raised an alarm. Taken by surprise, the gang fled in their vehicle.

Das said: “The crowd inside the ATM made me suspicious. Then I heard the sound of something being forced open, a breaking sound. They immediately fled in a car, hearing me raise the alarm. I then informed the police and the Municipality Chairman.”

Biswajit Kundu, the Chairman of Kaliyaganj municipality said: “We respect the courage displayed by Biswajit Das. Had he not intervened, the miscreants would have looted the ATM.” Debabrata Mukharjee, IC Kaliyaganj Police Station stated: “Efforts are on to identify and arrest the culprits at the earliest.”