A man involved in ATM fraud was injured in a police encounter in Odisha’s capital early Sunday morning, while two of his accomplices were arrested, officials said.
The encounter took place near Kesura in the Badagada police station area around 3 AM when the police attempted to arrest 25-year-old Deepak Kumar from Bihar and his associates, who were wanted for duping people using ATM cards.
Police Operation and Encounter
Acting on a tip-off about the gang’s presence on the Bhubaneswar-Puri bypass, a team from the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate launched an operation to nab them. When the suspects saw the police approaching, they tried to escape and opened fire at the officers.
“In self-defense, the police retaliated, injuring one of the accused in his left leg. He is currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar,” a police official said.
The police successfully apprehended two other gang members, identified as Deepak Kumar Pande and Abhisekh Kumar Singh, both from Bihar.
Gang’s ATM Fraud Modus Operandi
According to the police, the gang had been in Puri for the past three days, committing ATM fraud. They were also wanted in several similar cases in Ranchi.
Explaining their fraud technique, the police revealed that the gang would apply adhesive to the ATM card slot, preventing customers from retrieving their cards. They would then paste a fake “helpline” number at the ATM kiosk.
When unsuspecting customers called the number for assistance, the fraudsters would trick them into revealing their PIN and other bank details. Once the victim left, believing the issue would be resolved, the gang would extract the trapped card using a knife and withdraw money.
Seized Items and Investigation
The police recovered several incriminating items from the suspects, including:
- A country-made pistol and cartridge
- 12 ATM cards
- A car
- Three mobile phones
- Quick-fix adhesive
- A knife
A case has been registered at Badagada police station, and further investigations are underway.
This incident highlights the growing concerns over ATM fraud and the innovative tactics fraudsters use to dupe unsuspecting citizens. Authorities have urged people to be cautious while using ATMs and avoid calling numbers displayed inside ATM kiosks.
Sources By Agencies
