Arunachal police arrest three in inter-state ATM robbery racket spanning Assam, UP, Haryana

An attempted break-in at an SBI ATM in Aalo has led to the arrest of a three-member inter-state gang accused of targeting cash machines across Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Police said Aalo Police Station received information in the early hours of October 18, 2025, about an attempted theft at the SBI ATM near the petrol pump in New Market, Aalo. Officers found the booth filled with smoke and on fire. The blaze was brought under control with help from the Aalo Fire Station.

Preliminary findings showed the fire broke out while the ATM/CDM machine was being cut open using a metal cutter. A case (Aalo PS Case No. 59/25) was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the investigation was taken up by Sub-inspector Nending Kojing.

Investigators noted similar ATM thefts and attempted robberies reported earlier from Roing and Pasighat. Suspecting the use of National Highway routes, alerts were issued to police stations across Basar, Likhabali, Daporijo, Raga and Ziro.

On December 18, during naka checking at Daporijo, police intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number DL-8CAW-7611 and detained two men found carrying an LPG cylinder, an oxygen cylinder, a gas cutter and other house-breaking tools. A third accomplice managed to flee.

The detained accused were identified as Shahrukh Khan (32) and Saddam alias Saddam Khan (38), both originally from Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh and residing in the Jonai area of Assam. The absconding accused, Mohd Hasim (33) of Mewat district, Haryana, was arrested the next day, December 19, from the Likhabali check gate. Police said Hasim had earlier been arrested in connection with a similar ATM loot case in Guwahati.

During interrogation, police learnt that Shahrukh Khan and Mohd Hasim had met while lodged in Guwahati jail in earlier ATM-related cases. After their release, they allegedly formed an inter-state gang, choosing targets far from their home states to evade detection. According to investigators, Khan surveyed ATM locations across Arunachal Pradesh, called in Hasim and other associates from Haryana and Rajasthan for specific jobs, and the group would disperse back to their respective states after dividing the proceeds.

All three accused have been formally arrested, and further investigation is under way to identify additional associates and link them to other cases.

West Siang Police reiterated their commitment to public safety and urged citizens to report suspicious activity immediately. The police also acknowledged the assistance of Daporijo and Likhabali police teams in the arrests.