Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, February 14, 2025, Kolkata: A series of ATM fraud and looting incidents across Kolkata and its neighboring districts have raised serious concerns among law enforcement agencies. In multiple locations, ATMs have been targeted, with criminals breaking into machines, stealing cash, and, in some cases, setting fire to the vandalized units. The latest investigations have uncovered potential links to the Bangladeshi Hadith militant organization, which is suspected to have played a role in at least three coordinated incidents on the same day.
One of the primary incidents occurred in the Survey Park police station area near Jadavpur in Kolkata. Customers attempting to withdraw money from an ATM at a state-owned bank branch reported significant financial losses due to fraud. On Friday night, around 8:30 PM, customers at the State Bank of India ATM near Jadavpur Stadium experienced suspicious transaction failures. They claimed that while their accounts were debited, the cash did not dispense from the machine. A woman reportedly lost approximately one lakh rupees, while a man suffered a loss of twenty-five thousand rupees. A formal complaint was lodged at the Survey Park Police Station, prompting an immediate investigation.
In a separate but equally alarming incident in Howrah, a group of miscreants broke into an ATM in the Alampur area under the Sankrail Police Station, looted a substantial amount of money, and attempted to set the machine on fire. The situation came to light on Saturday morning when a customer, arriving to withdraw cash, discovered the vandalism and promptly alerted the locals. The Sankrail Police Station was notified, and an investigation was launched. Authorities are also examining whether a security guard was present at the ATM counter during the time of the attack.
Simultaneously, in the heart of Shantipur town in the Nadia district, criminals damaged an ATM at Dakghar Mor, breaking parts of the machine and exposing internal components. The incident caused alarm among bank authorities and the police administration, leading to heightened security concerns. The situation in Shantipur has remained tense since Saturday morning, with locals and officials closely monitoring developments.
These incidents have underscored a growing pattern of organized financial crimes, raising concerns about cross-border involvement. Police are intensifying their efforts to track down those responsible, with intelligence units working to establish definitive links to the suspected militant organization. The authorities have urged banks to reinforce security measures, install high-surveillance cameras, and ensure the presence of security personnel at ATM counters to prevent further occurrences.
