Khaira, Jul 11: In a daring late-night robbery, unidentified miscreants uprooted ATM machine from Tudigadia Bazaar under Khaira police station limits in Odisha's Balasore district and fled with cash after dragging the machine away using a vehicle.

The incident took place at around 2:00 am on Saturday.

According to preliminary reports, a group of more than five miscreants arrived at the ATM kiosk in a black four-wheeler. They allegedly broke open the ATM kiosk, uprooted the machine, tied it to their vehicle, and dragged it along the road before taking it to a secluded spot.

CCTV footage from the area reportedly captured the entire operation, showing the gang dragging the ATM for some distance. The accused later abandoned the damaged machine in the middle of the road after allegedly removing the cash stored inside. The exact amount of money stolen is yet to be ascertained.

The incident has raised serious concerns among residents of Tudigadia Bazaar, who claimed that the area has witnessed several incidents of theft and robbery in recent months. They expressed dissatisfaction over the alleged lack of effective police patrolling and urged authorities to strengthen security measures to prevent such crimes.

On receiving information, Khaira police reached the spot, recovered the abandoned ATM machine, and launched an investigation. Officers are scrutinising CCTV footage from the ATM kiosk and nearby establishments to identify the suspects and trace the vehicle used in the crime. A case has been registered, and efforts are underway to determine the exact amount of cash stolen and arrest those involved.