Car Used In Heist Abandoned In Tirupati, Seized By Police

BENGALURU: Investigations into the money heist in Bengaluru city on Wednesday going on in full swing by various police teams led to a seizure of a car reportedly used in the robbery and two persons taken into custody over the incident. Apart from gathering technical details, verification of various surveillance cameras installed at various locations has been going on to trace the persons involved in the crime.

The car used in the heist was traced in Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh, about 250-km from Bengaluru city. However, the car was abandoned by the gang after a heist in Bengaluru. There are reports of two persons taken into custody by the police over the heist incident and both belong to Kalyan Nagar of Banaswadi in Bengaluru city. On Wednesday afternoon, the car used in the heist was last sighted in a surveillance camera in Bhattarahalli near Hosakote about 30-km from Bengaluru city before it was traced in Tirupati.

It may be recalled here a gang of 6 members posed as officials of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) targeted an ATM Cash loading vehicle at Siddapura Gate near Lalbagh of Bengaluru city on Wednesday and separated the vehicle driver Binod Kumar from custodian Aftab and gunmen Rajanna and Thammaiah. The ATM cash van was intercepted by the gang citing violations of guidelines.

The driver was made to drive the vehicle to Dairy Circle flyover where the gang transferred the cash of Rs 7.11 crore from ATM cash loading vehicle to their car and fled from the scene leaving the driver Binodkumar behind. Meanwhile, suspicion looms large cash van driver Binod Kumar is alleged to have not acted in time to press the distress button of the ATM Cash carrying van when the gang struck on Dairy Circle flyover. Commissioner of Police Seemanth Kumar told reporters on Wednesday that the police received an alert on heist rather late.

In Chamarajanagar, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the seizure of the car used in the crime and stated police investigating the case have gathered vital leads to crack the case at the earliest. Minister of Home Dr G. Parameshwar said persons involved in the heist have changed vehicles and police are yet to ascertain these vehicles. Robbed cash had been transferred by the gang members to other vehicles before they disappeared. Police are at work to nab the persons involved gathering details from technical and verification of surveillance cameras.

Investigating teams are going through various surveillance cameras installed in the city to gather details on movement of vehicles which have entered the city and also exited the city during the heist hours, he said.

Parameshwar exuded confidence in police of nabbing the heist involved persons like the way they detected robberies in Vijayapura district and made recoveries of Rs 58 crore worth jewelleries and cash. A police team visited Central Prison in Bengaluru to gather details from the inmates of anyone having links with the gang involved in the heist.