Mysuru: Following Kotekar Co-operative Bank dacoity in Mangaluru last week, city’s nationalised and Private Banks, which have woken up, have taken preventive steps by deploying security personnel in their Banks and ATM kiosks.

The Banks have also reduced the gap of the entrance door so that only one person can enter the Bank at a time. By reducing the entry area of the Bank, robbers will not find it easy to escape from the Bank after committing crime.

Star of Mysore had also highlighted lack of adequate security at ATM kiosks in city by publishing a news item titled ‘Spike in ATM kiosk robberies: 90 percent of ATMs in city lack security’ on Jan. 24.

It may be recalled that last week, dacoits had robbed Kotekar Co-operative Bank in Mangaluru and had made away with cash and gold worth Rs. 12 crore from the Bank. The Police, who swung into action had arrested four persons in connection with the Bank dacoity and had recovered nearly 18 kg gold and Rs 3.8 lakh cash.

Also, on Nov. 19, 2013, Bank Officer Jyothi Uday, who had gone to the Corporation Bank ATM on J.C. Road in Bengaluru to withdraw money was brutally assaulted with a lethal weapon by one Madhukar Reddy resulting in Jyothi sustaining serious injuries.

Following the Bengaluru incident, security was beefed up in ATMs across the State and security guards used to work for 24 hours in three shifts. As the Banks incurred additional expenditure by employing three security guards – one for each shift – they (Bank) cut down on the number of security guards.

Now, following Bank dacoities in Mangaluru and other places, the Banks have deployed security guards to work in three shifts at a few ATM kiosks besides taking steps to see that CCTV cameras installed in Banks and ATM kiosks were working and maintained properly.