Davanagere Police Demands Immediate Review of Bank Security After 13 Million Gold Heist | Hubballi news

Haveri: In response to a meticulously planned heist at the Nyamati branch of the SBI, Davanagere Police imposed strict security upgrades for banks. Financial institutions and ATMs must implement modern CCTV systems, sensors and alarm mechanisms within two weeks to prevent similar incidents.
The Davanagere police have stepped up their efforts following the theft of gold worth Rs 13 million from the State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Nyamati town. The case presented significant difficulties for the investigators, as the culprits managed to avoid leaving traces at the scene. This situation prompted the law enforcers to issue stern warnings to the bank officials.
Superintendent of Police Uma Prashant criticized inadequate security arrangements in nationalized banks in the district. She noted that most banks operate with outdated CCTV and alarm systems, showing reluctance to upgrade their security infrastructure. “All banks and their branches should have well-equipped security materials for safety reasons in the next 15 days,” she instructed during a recent meeting with bankers.
She disclosed that police inspections of nationalized and private bank branches in the district revealed significant security lapses. Most locations lack modern surveillance equipment and branch managers often miss alarm notifications. ATM facilities exhibit similar inadequacies in their security arrangements. “CCTV and DVR should be placed at different places in the branches, DVRs should not be placed in public and cameras should be installed to cover the entire bank premises,” advised SP Uma.
The SP pointed out that professional thieves, often from outside the state, pose a significant threat. She pointed out that ineffective security measures are complicating investigative efforts. “All bankers should follow the guidelines to continue to maintain public confidence in banks, within 15 days,” she added.
Deputy Commissioner GM Gangadharaswamy remarked, “The banking security system should improve more because people strongly believed in it. If the banking system loses faith, how can people keep faith in the system?”
Box
Two foreigners visit the Nyamati branch before the robbery
The Davanagere police found that two persons from outside the state had visited the Nyamati branch of the SBI before the break-in to make inquiries about opening accounts. One individual was from Bihar while the other was from Tamil Nadu. They approached the branch staff about opening savings bank accounts. However, bank officials informed them that accounts cannot be opened without a local home address. Police have now obtained this lead and are working to locate these individuals.