Unable to break an SBI ATM in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district, thieves uprooted it and fled the spot with Rs Rs 29.55 lakh inside the ATM. The incident took place in the wee hours of Friday.

Police said that the incident occurred at Amarpatan town of the district between 1.47 am and 2.08 am.

So far the only clue in the case that the police have received is a footage from the CCTV camera installed in a nearby shop.

It could be seen in the footage that the ATM had been tied to a Bolero car and towed away. The accused had used some spray to deface the CCTV cameras that were inside the ATM.

The machine has worked till 1.47 am and had stopped working after that. The video footage showing ATM being towed away is of 1.56 am and it was at 2.08 am that we have received information from control room. The machine contained Rs 29.55 lakh in cash. How many people were involved is not known till now as there is no such footage or video, everything has been damaged, Amarpatan police station incharge, RP Mishra told media.

A guard who was posted at another shop situated at some distance noticed some unusual activity and then he informed his owner. The owner of the shop then informed at Dial 100 and subsequently we received the information but the accused had fled away by then, Mishra added.

This is probably the first such incident in the district where an entire ATM machine was uprooted and taken away. They had not used any gas cutters or any other tool, probably they tied the machine to their vehicle using steel chains and then sped the vehicle leading to the uprooting of the ATM machine, he said.

He also said that the thieved defaced the CCTV cameras that were inside the ATM using some silver-gray coloured spray. The footage of the time when the spray was being used is being accessed by the police.

He said that detailed investigation is underway.

(With inputs from Yogi Tara)

ALSO READ: Onions worth Rs 8 lakh stolen from Patna godown amid soaring prices

ALSO WATCH: WATCH | Thieves snatch phone from man on MG Road in Bengaluru