SBI ATM loot
The arrested 7 members of a gang of dacoits who looted an SBI ATM in Dhubri district and the recovered money. Image credit – Northeast Now

Dhubri police have arrested 7 people on charges of being involved in the SBI ATM loot incident that took place at Gauripur town in Dhubri district on January 20.

The gang of robbers took away an amount of over Rs 42 lakh from the ATM.

The arrested have been identified as Bahar Ali (46), Nur Nabi Ahmed (36), Mehedi Hassan Mondal (30), Nur Zamal Houqe (25), Moniraz Zaman Ahmed alias Mintu (28) all five are residents of Dhubri district.

The two other persons arrested in the case have been identified as Musa Miya (34) and Kashem Ali (33), who are residents of Assam’s South Salmara Mankachar district.

Also read: Assam: Rs 42 lakh looted from SBI ATM at Gauripur

Dhubri superintendent of police Yuvraj said acting on a tip-off and observing the video footage received from the CCTV camera installed in the kiosk of the ATM, the police managed to book the 7 people involved in the ATM loot.

Police have so far been able to recover a sum of Rs 19,54,000 from the possession of the arrested persons.

Apart from the money, police have also recovered two motorbikes, a gas cutter and one oxygen cylinder along with other materials used in the crime.

The recovered money. Image credit – Northeast Now
The recovered money. Image credit – Northeast Now

“Dhubri police are in the hunt for recovery of the rest of the money as well as to arrest other members of the gang, who are absconding soon after the arrest of the 7 persons,” said the Dhubri police chief.

“A high-level police team is investigating the matter and the operation will continue until the recovery of full amount and arrest of all persons involved in the ATM loot case,” said Yuvraj added.

Police sources revealed that there were nine persons involved in the ATM loot incident and two suspects, believed to be the kingpins, are absconding.

The dacoits looted the ATM located at the bus stand in Gauripur town of Dhubri at around 3.30 am in the wee hours of January 20.

Police sources revealed that the robbers painted the CCTV camera with toothpaste and later covered it with papers. But the CCTV camera already captured the faces of the robbers clearly.

The robbers used a gas cutter to tear apart the ATM and disappeared from the place after looting the money within 15 minutes, police sources said.

Mukesh Kr Singh is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dhubri. He can be reached at: mkdhubri@gmail.com