Chennai cops meet bank officials on ATM security

Chennai: In the wake of the attack on a woman inside an ATM centre in Bangalore, top cops in the city held a meeting with officials of nationalised and private banks on Monday at the commissionerate, asking for the existing security arrangements to be reviewed.

As many as 105 officials from various banks met the officers and a nine-point charter was to given to the bank officials, keeping in mind the safety of the customers, an official said. High-end CCTV cameras, one right above the machine and one outside the centre, were to be installed compulsorily, an official release said.

The sun-film cover pasted on the glass doors and similar materials should also be removed to ensure clear visibility, the release added.

A common complaint observed by the department and told by people was the presence of aged men as guards who prove to be of minimal use at times of distress. We have advised the banks to employ able-bodied men as guards, an official said, ensuring only that one person uses an ATM at any given time.

A system to ensure that the ATM door opens only after identifying the card should also be in place, if it does not exist already, the release said.

Installing CCTV cameras is not enough; we have advised the banks to ensure constant monitoring of the cameras, a senior official pointed out. He cited an incident two weeks ago, where the police held a former em­p­loyee of a cash transfer fi­rm in Royapuram for ste­a­ling cash from an ATM machine. He had amassed more than '2 lakh and in spite of the presence of a CCTV, the banks had not noted the incident, he ad­ded.

There are more than 3,000 ATMs in the city and the onus lies on the banks to ensure the safety of their customers, a senior police officer said. Banks have been given time until December 31 to comply with the suggestions, according to an official statement.