Top cop urges bank officials to step up security measures

KHARGHAR: In the wake of the recent bank robberies and ATM thefts in the node, Navi Mumbai police commissioner Ashok Sharma met representatives of 22 banks at Yuva centre in Kharghar, on Friday.

The officials urged the representatives and managers of the banks and gold loan companies to install all requisite security measures, so that they could prevent such incidents. Also present was Sheshrao Suryavanshi, assistant police commissioner of Panvel.

A few months ago, robbers had looted cash from a van carrying money to refill an ATM machine near Bank of India. The employees who were escorting the van had no rifles were unarmed, and could not defend themselves.

In another such incident, Mannipuram Bank was also looted. In this case, too, there were no security guards present.

Taking into account the security lapses by bank officials, the police called upon the managers to deploy security staff on their premises, as well as with cash vans, to avoid such robberies.

Suryavanshi also asked the managers to maintain a visitors’ book, concertise walls of strong rooms up to 12 inches and install CCTVs on their premises.

Also present at the meeti ng were other police of f i - cials Sanjay Jadhav, Shamrao Kharvas and constable Arun Thorat.