DNA

Mumbai, Sep 25: In a daring attack, a knife-wielding robber got away with Rs 22 lac from a Citibank ATM in Kandivli (west) early on Sunday after attacking the watchman.

According to the police, a youth, aged around 25 years, assaulted watchman Dayashankar Jaiswal, 40, at the Balaji Arcade ATM centre on SV Road, and threatened him at knife point.

He then taped Jaiswal’s mouth and locked him in a toilet. The youth, who apparently knew the code, gained access to the cash box. The accused also took out the cassette from the CCTV recorder, and fled.

Kandivli police have registered a case of robbery and launched a search for the culprit. “It seems the accused had knowledge of the ATM mechanism,” said a police official.

Jaiswal is being treated for minor injuries. Based on his description, the police are preparing sketches of the accused. The involvement of someone from the agency which refills cash in the ATM is not ruled out.

Our Mumbai correspondent adds:

Police sources said the burglar told the security guard that the money he had withdrawn had  slipped under the machine. When Jaiswal opened the door behind the machine, the robber dragged him inside, tied him up and pushed him inside a toilet. Then he robbed all money and in a smart move  stole the videotapes of the CCTV camera, which is  instaled inside the ATM Centre.

The man was probably an expert as the  machine had been opened systematically, the police further said.