Woman brutally attacked in Bangalore ATM

Bangalore: The woman bank manager, who was brutally attacked by a man inside an ATM in Bangalore on Tuesday, remains critical but has suffered a brain injury.  

Speaking to media, doctor said she has suffered head injury and got paralysis on the right side.  

In an incident that highlights the shocking lack of security at ATMs across the city which have neither armed guards nor emergency alarm systems, a woman bank manager was brutally attacked by a man armed with a country-made pistol and a machete, robbed and left for dead, within minutes of her entering an ATM at 7.10 am on Tuesday.

The Corporation Bank ATM is in the LIC building near busy Corporation Circle, within the Silver Jubilee Park police station limits. Police confirmed that there was no security guard at the ATM, but with the attacker's face clearly visible in the CCTV footage, police have put out an alert in the city.  

Jyothi Udaykumar, 38, was followed into the ATM by the man, who threatened her and repeatedly hammered away at her face and head with a machete, robbed her of her mobile phone and purse, and escaped.

What is most disturbing is that the attack took place in the heart of the city, and at a frequently used ATM and that it took four hours before anyone came to her rescue.

It was only at 11 am that an ATM user opened the shutters that had been rolled down from the outside and found Jyothi, with her head bashed in, lying in a poll of her own blood. The victim was rushed to Victoria Hospital and then moved to Nimhans for further treatment, and then to BGS hospital in Kengeri. Doctors said the wounds to her skull and brain are not life-threatening.

Inside ATM, woman has head bashed in

Little did this 38-year-old woman bank manager know the nightmare that was in store for her when she stepped inside an ATM near Corporation Circle to withdraw money.

In a matter of minutes, the woman was brutally assaulted and robbed by an armed, unidentified miscreant around 7.30 am on Tuesday when she entered the Corporation Bank ATM in the LIC building to withdraw cash in Silver Jubilee Park police limits.

The victim has been identified as Jyothi Udaykumar, a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar; and is employed as the manager of a Corporation Bank branch on Mission Road.

Police said the incident occurred around 7.30 am when the victim entered the ATM to withdraw money. No security guard was present at the time. An unidentified man followed Jyothi inside the ATM and assaulted her with a machete.

The suspect is said to have struck her head, neck, and nose, with the weapon and fled after snatching the victim’s purse and mobile phone. However, Jyothi’s gold ornaments are said to be intact. After assaulting her, the miscreant allegedly made good his escape by rolling the shutters of the ATM down almost completely from the outside.

The incident only came to light around 11 am when some locals and passers-by came to the ATM and opened the shutters to find Jyothi lying unconscious in a pool of blood. The SJ Park police were informed and they rushed to the spot, while Jyothi was taken to Victoria Hospital.

Since the nature of her injuries was slightly serious, doctors advised that she be shifted to Nimhans for further treatment. Sources confirmed that the victim is out of danger and will not need surgery.

Speaking to this newspaper, assistant commissioner of police (Ulsoorgate sub-division) Siddaramaiah confirmed the incident. “There was no security guard near the ATM, but the CCTV camera inside was operational. We have pulled up footage of the robbery and are scrutinising it for clues about the suspect’s identity.

The man attacked Jyothi with a machete on her head and nose before stealing her mobile and escaping from the spot. We are investigating the case from all angles,” he said.  SJ Park police have registered an attempt-to-murder case.