Shot in thigh, cash van guard still foils ATM robbery bid

NEW DELHI: It was a daring robbery attempt at an ATM while bank employees were filling cash in the machine in outer Delhi’s Kanjhawala, but the armed robbers had to return empty handed as their bid was thwarted by a 35-year-old guard even though he was shot in the leg. The entire episode was caught on CCTV.
The PCR got a call about the incident around 2.10pm by a local resident of Majra Dabas village. Cops soon reached and rushed the injured guard, Dalip Tiwari, to a nearby hospital where his condition is now said to be stable.
Tiwari, the gunman in the bank’s cash van, told police that he was waiting for the cashier to come out of the ATM when two men wearing helmets stopped their bike a few meters from him.The pillion rider got off and shot him in the right thigh.
The CCTV footage shows the pillion rider shooting Tiwari after which he leaps at the shooter to stop him from going inside the ATM. Despite bleeding profusely, the gunman fought with the shooter even as the latter signalled to his accomplice to enter the ATM and get the cash.
The cashier noticed the hustle-bustle outside, but before he could come out the robber driving the bike tried to make a forceful entry inside the ATM. However, he could not enter because the cashier pushed the door shut.
By this time many people gathered around and many started peeping out of the windows of their houses to see what was happening. Scared that they might get caught, they snatched Tiwari’s gun, fired two rounds in the air and sped off on their bike.
The guard then went and sat on the staircase outside the ATM. Soon a group of over 50 people gathered there and offered to help him. One of the locals also alerted the cops.
A case under IPC sections 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) and 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and the Arms Act has been registered at Kanjhawala police station. Applauding the guard’s bravery, DCP (outer) MN Tiwari said the money was prevented from being robbed due to his alertness and bravery. “We have formed teams to nab the robbers,” he added.