Cracking the ATM attack case has become a tough challenge for City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar and his men, but they aren’t taking it as a “prestige issue”.
“In policing, each incident has its own importance. This is another challenging case,” he told Express when asked if he had found it more challenging than others.Bank manager Jyothi Uday was attacked inside an ATM kiosk near the BBMP head office on November 19. She is now recovering in a private hospital.
“We are searching for one person in 100 crore people. It is not correct to say we should have arrested the criminal since we have the footage,” Auradkar said. “Unless his identity is established, it is difficult to trace him.”
Probe Intensified
As many as 140 teams from Andhra Pradesh and 100 teams from Karnataka are trying to make headway in the case. They are scouring many areas where they suspect the mugger is holed up. Police teams have also put up 20,000 posters, and are showing his photo on television channels, especially Telugu ones.
The Bangalore police have announced a reward of `1 lakh for information leading to the mugger’s arrest, but have had no luck so far. “Beyond a point we can’t say anything. He has changed his appearance. Let’s hope we get him,” Auradkar said. He said he wouldn’t take it as a loss of prestige if the case was not cracked.
Auradkar said he had been telling the banks to get serious about the dangers at ATM kiosks.” In August and September, we held meetings with the chief secretary, DG & IGP and the executive director of the Reserve Bank of India. In all three meetings, appointment of security guards at ATMs was the core issue,” he recalled.
Responding to news reports appearing on Thursday, Auradkar clarified he had not relaxed any security regulations for ATMs. “ATMs in places like malls, which have security guards at the entrance, can operate without guards as visitors are frisked at the entrance,” he said.
He said his men had taken strict measures to contain hooligans. “If you compare the statistics of the last five years for preventive action taken by the city police, we have done the maximum in the last four months,” he stressed.
Attack Victim Recovering Well, Say Doctors
Bangalore: Jyothi Uday, the victim of a brutal attack at an ATM kiosk in Bangalore, who has been undergoing treatment at a city hospital, is stable. However, she is still traumatised and has been advised not to record her statement with the police as yet.
Dr N K Venkataraman, Chief Neurosurgeon and Vice-Chairman, BGS Global Hospitals, said on Friday that Jyothi has been moved to a cabin in BGS Global Hospital where she is undergoing treatment. She had been under observation and is recovering from paralysis.
“She is stable, alert and speaking clearly. The sensation in her right hand and leg is back and the paralysis on the right side is improving,” he added.
Dr Venkataraman explained that medical team along with family members are taking extreme caution about talking about the incident in front of her. Jyothi had undergone multiple surgeries last Tuesday evening after she was brought to the hospital with brain injuries. She was kept under observation in the neuro-intensive care unit.