Other States - Orissa   

Security at banks to be heightened

CUTTACK: Concerned over the recent spurt in crime against banks in Orissa, the State Crime Branch and bankers operating in the State on Tuesday met here to discuss ways and means to overcome the problem.

Incidence of dacoity and robbery of cash increased considerably over a period.

“The police and the bankers have decided to heighten security at banks and during cash in transit,” said Crime Branch IG K. Sharma after the meeting.

The meeting also decided to upgrade bank security as per the RBI guidelines. Many concrete suggestions were made which would be looked into in future, Mr. Sharma added.

“Most of the crimes against banks are now taking place in the bordering areas of western and northern parts of the State.

The districts of Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal have reported more bank dacoities and robberies in the recent days,” Mr. Sharma said.

In 80 percent of these cases, it was seen that persons from outside the State were involved and that the miscreants were mostly from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, Mr. Sharma said, adding that the role of some bank employees in facilitating these crimes cannot be ruled out.

Mr. Sharma informed that banks had been asked to upgrade their internal security. “There should be adequate armed guards at the cash vaults and cash chests. Besides, banks should have armoured vehicles to carry cash from one branch to another,” he added.

The conference was inaugurated by DGP Gopal Nanda. Mr. Sharma and Director-Intelligence Manmohan Praharaj gave presentations on the recent bank dacoity cases and security measures in naxalite-affected areas.

Crime Branch SP and Sambalpur SP also presented case studies of recent Barbil and Charmal bank dacoity cases in which cash of nearly Rs. 1 crore was looted.

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