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Arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police in connection with stealing an ATM from the Pulwama district, the modus operandi of the gang of Bangladeshi thieves was to take away the whole Automated Teller Machine instead of looting cash from the machine.
Three Bangladeshi nationals were arrested for stealing a bank ATM in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The ATM was dumped in an orchard area, and the police used a bulldozer to retrieve the automated teller machine from a pit.
Although questioning of the arrested Bangladeshi thieves is going on, this gang was involved in most of the ATM theft cases across the Kashmir Valley.
"During the course of the investigation, the Police team analyzed digital data evidence. Besides the meticulous investigation of circumstantial evidence, persistent and focused examination of suspects resulted in identifying a group of international thieves from Bangladesh," said a police spokesman.
The spokesman said the accused had committed such type of crime in the past as well.
ATM theft cases increased in Kashmir
Police said that a group of Bangladeshi nationals involved in several thefts has been busted. In the last few months, incidents of ATM theft were reported at two places in Pulwama. After strenuous efforts, the case has been solved by arresting three Bangladeshi nationals. Apart from the stolen property, at least two ATMs have been recovered from their possession.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, on 8 April 2023, some unknown thieves stole an ATM near Government Degree College Pulwama. A case under FIR No. 78/2023 under relevant sections of law was registered at Pulwama Police Station and the investigation was initiated, as this was the second ATM theft reported in the district.
Arrested thieves have committed similar crimes.
Keeping in view the seriousness of the crime, an SIT was constituted under the chairmanship of Additional SP to ensure a speedy investigation of the case.
During the course of the investigation, the police team analyzed digital data evidence apart from careful examination of circumstantial evidence. As a result, a group of international thieves from Bangladesh were identified, who had committed similar crimes in the past.
After strenuous efforts and district raids, at least three members including the mastermind were arrested in the case. The arrested members of the international gang have been identified as Suman Mal of Rajapur Bangladesh, Farooq Ahmed Ali of Rajwair Bangladesh, and Mohammad Ibrahim of Bangla Sharun Khola Bangladesh.
During the course of the investigation, the accused confessed to their involvement in the crime, and on their disclosure the stolen ATM machine was recovered and dumped in a pit from a garden in Dogam Kakapora.
More arrests are expected in the sensational case.
During the investigation, the said gang of thieves revealed that they had carried out such ATM thefts at other places in the past years as well. It also came to light that the gang had started operating in South Kashmir at the beginning of this year and also admitted that they had carried out a similar ATM theft incident in the Pampore area of Pulwama. Further investigation in the matter is still going on and more arrests are expected in the matter.
Living "illegally" in Kashmir Valley Bangladeshis is a new challenge for security agencies
Although higher-ups of the police are tightlipped over the interrogation of the arrested Bangladesh nationals, they are believed to be living in the Kashmir Valley using false identities.
This case has raised a new challenge for security and intelligence agencies in Jammu and Kashmir as to how foreigners can live and work here so easily without detection.
According to a J&K Home Department report a total number of 6523 Rohingyas were found camping across 39 different locations spread across five districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to this report, "6461 Rohingyas were staying in Jammu division and 62 in Kashmir division.
There was no mention of any Bangladeshi living legally in Jammu and Kashmir.
