Cops tell banks to hire guards for ATM centres

Hyderabad: In the wake of the attack on a 38-year-old woman at an ATM in Bangalore, the city police has geared up to prevent such incidents here.

Teams have been formed and the cops are conducting special drives at various places in the city. It has also been decided to issue notices to banks whose ATM centres are not manned and lack security measures.

City police commissioner Anurag Sharma has directed officials to take necessary measures to prevent such attacks in Hyderabad.

“Under the guidance of the commissioner, we have alerted all our forces and are conducting checks of various centres. If the centres are found unmanned and lacking in security measures, we will issue notices to the concerned banks,” said  V. Satyanarayana, deputy commissioner of police, West Zone.

ATMs in areas like Marredpally, Rezimental Bazaar, Srinagar Colony etc. often do not have security personnel at night. The police has also issued notices warning various banks to recruit security persons for their ATM centres and fix surveillance cameras.

The cops, however, say that many banks do not want the added expenditure. “We have alerted the banks and asked them to recruit security guards if they have not and also to install CCTV cameras. If they are already fixed, we have asked them to check if they are functioning,” said Shashank Reddy, inspector, Marredpally.

“When I earlier asked some of the banks to make it a point to have security guards, they said since it involves money, it is a little difficult,” he said. “Apart from that, there are also senior citizens seen guarding the centres at times, which should not be encouraged. It is better if men who are fit are recruited,” he added.

“People should avoid centres which are in remote areas or are at isolated places. Women and senior citizens should take a companion with them to the centers. Businessmen and industrialists involved in regular transactions need to be accompanied by someone while withdrawing cash from the centres which have no guards,” suggested Satyanarayana.

The officials say that security needs to be increased at the ATM’s not only for this very reason, but also to prevent thefts.