2 from north Kashmir held in Jammu for killing ATM guard

JAMMU : Two men from north Kashmir were arrested for allegedly killing a security guard of an ATM here and attempting to steal the cash in the machine, police said on Friday. The incident that occurred on Thursday night has triggered protests in the city.

The victim, Raju Sharma, 36, of New Plot area was a security guard at a J&K Bank ATM in Sector 13 of Nanak Nagar. The accused, who have been identified as Mohammad Kaif Lone and Waqas Bashir Lone of Bandipore in north Kashmir, were arrested within 15 hours of the murder.

Jammu district police chief SSP Shridhar Patil said, “The ATM guard was found murdered around 9.30pm on Thursday. Acting on clues and CCTV footage police arrested the accused. The accused have confessed to their crime. They had broken into the ATM with intention to loot cash. The attempt was resisted by Raju, who was inside the rest room. The accused tied his legs and hands and smothered him to death.” “Both the accused had recently rented a room in Nanak Nagar area where they lived as paying guests,” the SSP said.

Police are also probing whether it was a bid to steal money for financing terrorism in the valley.

Sharma was the lone breadwinner of the family and was the only son of his parents. He had seven sisters, his relatives said. He is survived by his parents, wife and two children.

A large number of people, including the family members and neighbours of the deceased, staged a protest here on Friday morning, demanding that the accused be hanged.