Kolkata, 17 June (H.S.):

West Bengal Police have arrested three members of a gang involved in a dramatic ATM robbery on the Maynaguri-Lataguri National Highway in Jalpaiguri district. The gang, which posed as Delhi Police personnel during the crime, is led by a dismissed Delhi Police constable, Asloob Khan. Two members of the gang are still on the run, prompting an intense manhunt in the forested Baikunthapur region.

According to police officials, Khan was terminated from the Delhi Police due to corruption charges. During the robbery, the accused wore Delhi Police uniforms and caps to evade suspicion. A white car used in the heist was later recovered, containing forged number plates from multiple states and a Delhi Police cap—evidence suggesting the gang frequently changed registration plates based on the state in which they operated to avoid detection.

The daring ATM robbery at Baulbari Bazaar took place over 60 hours ago. While three suspects have been apprehended, a massive search operation involving both forest and police personnel is underway to capture the remaining two. The operation is focused in the dense Baikunthapur forest region, notorious for its population of wild elephants, leopards, and bison. In recent months, elephant encounters in the area have claimed six lives, making the search mission particularly dangerous.

Despite the risk, police teams, aided by forest officials, are scouring the area with drones and night vision cameras. Surveillance has been heightened around the Saraswatipur Tea Garden near Gajoldoba and surrounding regions. The nearby Teesta River and the forest beyond it are under constant watch to prevent any escape.

A breakthrough came when a local resident reported the suspicious vehicle, including its license plate number, to the police. The prompt tip-off helped trace the gang's movement. Residents of the Saraswatipur Tea Garden also actively assisted in the search efforts. The police have announced plans to honor all civilians who contributed to the operation.

Superintendent of Police Umesh Ganpat Khandbahale confirmed on Tuesday that the gang’s criminal network extends beyond West Bengal, with suspected links in Bihar and Haryana. He added that the same group is believed to be behind earlier ATM heists in Raiganj and Siliguri. The gang’s strategy includes lying low for extended periods before resurfacing to commit fresh crimes.

The top priority for law enforcement now is to apprehend the remaining fugitives and dismantle the wider network operating across state lines.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh