Masked Robbers Use Gas Cutter to Loot Over ₹19 Lakh from Canara Bank ATM in Golasangi, Nidagundi Taluk

In a daring late-night heist, masked criminals targeted a Canara Bank ATM in Golasangi village of Nidagundi taluk, Vijayapura district, and fled with over ₹19 lakh in cash. The perpetrators reportedly entered the ATM kiosk under the cover of darkness, sliced open the shutter and the cash dispensation unit using a gas cutter, and looted the stored cash before escaping from the scene. The incident came to light the following morning, prompting swift action from local authorities. A police team led by Nidagundi Police Station Inspector Sharangouda Goudar arrived at the spot to inspect the crime scene and gather forensic evidence. Bank officials were summoned to verify the exact cash deficit, confirming that ₹19.29 lakh had been stolen from the machine. Investigators have registered a case at the Nidagundi Police Station and are actively scanning footage captured by CCTV cameras installed in and around the bank premises to identify the masked suspects. Police suspect an organized gang with expertise in operating gas-cutting equipment to be behind the heist. The brazen robbery in Golasangi has raised severe security concerns among residents and business owners in Nidagundi taluk. Local communities have urged banking institutions to deploy round-the-clock security guards at rural ATM outlets, as rural financial infrastructure remains vulnerable to night-time burglaries.