Quiet 19-Month Police Hunt For Bidar ATM Robbers That Ended In Bihar

Bidar: For nearly 19 months, the two men accused of the daylight ATM cash robbery and murder in Bidar appeared to have disappeared without a trace. There were few visible signs of progress, and in some quarters, there was even quiet criticism that the police were not pursuing the case seriously.

But the police were quietly pursuing the case far from Bidar.

The suspects had fled to Bihar, nearly 1,500 km away, leaving the Bidar police to work in another State, among unfamiliar surroundings and without the local network they had at home.

After the robbery in Bidar, the suspects had fled towards Hyderabad, where they are said to have been involved in the firing incident at Afzalgunj.

The two were wanted by Telangana, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh police.

Bidar SP Pradeep Gunti, however, had made it clear to his team that the two had to be traced and arrested.

A police team was stationed in Bihar for a prolonged period. The police even took a house on rent in the area where the trail had led them. An SI or inspector would stay there while the team quietly followed leads, collected information and kept a tab on suspicious movements.

The team spent months collecting information and following up on leads.

The police learnt that the two generally travelled on a motorcycle wearing helmets. By following up on leads, they identified places the suspects were likely to visit and the routes they could take.

After nearly one-and-a-half years of this effort, the police began getting stronger leads. Surveillance was stepped up over the last 20 days. SP Pradeep Gunti himself went to Bidar.

On Wednesday, the team received information that the two could pass through a particular place and strengthened its vigil there. But the suspects instead travelled to Damodarpur, around 15 km from their village.

Damodarpur, surrounded by forest, made the operation challenging. The police moved in disguise without revealing their presence. Two teams patrolled in cars, while another 2-3 teams moved around on motorcycles. A motorcycle with two helmeted riders arrived.

A DySP in the team immediately recognised that a person matched the wanted suspect. The police vehicles moved in. When the suspects tried to overtake the police vehicle, the police intercepted them. The two fell from the motorcycle and were overpowered before they could escape.

The case dates back to January 16, 2025, when two helmeted men allegedly opened fire on CMS employees carrying cash to replenish an SBI ATM in Bidar. They escaped with a trunk containing Rs 83 lakh. CMS cash custodian Giri Venkatesh was killed and another employee, Shivakumar Ladageri, was seriously injured.

For Shivakumar and his family, the arrest brought relief after 19 months of waiting. He and his family members expressed happiness over the arrest of the two.

“Even after 19 months, the police succeeded in arresting them,” he said.

The relief was visible across Bidar. At the spot where the robbery and murder had taken place, people gathered and burst crackers.

When SP Gunti and his team arrived in Bidar, the welcome became even more elaborate. Flowers were showered on SP and his team, the officers were garlanded and the SP was given a tilak. He was also made to sit on a horse as people raised slogans praising the Karnataka Police and the Bidar police.

The Singham theme song played in the background as the police team was welcomed, while videos of the celebration quickly spread on social media.

For the officers, the welcome was a recognition of the work they had carried out quietly for months.