Saharanpur: In a dramatic late-night incident in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, police foiled an attempted ATM robbery just as it was unfolding, arresting four people including a young girl student and a coach known locally as “guruji”. It was around midnight when Sadar Bazar police were on routine patrol in the Khalasi Line area and noticed suspicious activity near a half-opened ATM shutter. A man was seen loitering by a bike beside the machine, prompting officers to question him. When two policemen lifted the shutter and peered inside, they found two men and a young woman trying to break open the ATM cash box using screwdrivers and other tools.
The police immediately detained all four suspects identified as Vineet, Vikas Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, and Tanu before they could access the approximately `19 lakh inside the machine.
During interrogation, officers learned that Rajesh and Vikas were partners in the ATM’s maintenance contract, and Rajesh had provided the password and other crucial information to the group. The plan was to break into the ATM, enter the code, and split whatever cash they could take.
Investigators were stunned to find that Tanu the young woman arrested was a student preparing for competitive exams at a coaching centre run by Vikas. Their acquaintance reportedly developed through this coaching connection.
The police also seized a licensed revolver, two screwdrivers, a knife, two mobile phones, and a bike used in the operation.
Thankfully, officers’ timely arrival prevented what could have been a major financial theft just days before the Holi festival.
This incident not only highlights challenges in local security but also raises serious questions about how youth can be pulled into crime under the influence of older accomplices.
