₹14 lakh looted from Siliguri ATM with gas cutter, robbers flee after police chase

A group of unidentified miscreants looted approximately ₹14 lakh from a government bank’s ATM on the Eastern Bypass in Siliguri early Wednesday. The robbery occurred around 3:17 am when the group broke into the standalone ATM kiosk and used a gas cutter to access the cash vault inside the machine.

During the robbery, a fire broke out at the ATM counter, reportedly due to the use of the gas cutter. The flames were later doused by a fire engine that reached the spot. Following the heist, the miscreants fled the scene. A police van from Ashighar outpost attempted to chase the robbers but they managed to escape.

Later, police recovered a vehicle in Himachal Bihar believed to have been used in the robbery. Investigations revealed that the vehicle had been stolen from Ambika Nagar prior to the incident. CCTV footage from Ambika Nagar captured the moment the vehicle was taken. The police have identified the owner of the stolen vehicle and are verifying additional details.

The incident marks the latest in a series of ATM robberies in Siliguri in recent weeks. Police have started a probe, collecting surveillance footage from surrounding areas and coordinating with nearby outposts to trace the robbers’ movements and network.