After going through the news item published in the front page of The Hindu dated 20th November 2013, on the brutal attack on a woman inside the closed ATM in the heart of Bengaluru city, I would like to explain a possible cost-effective remedial measures to avert such criminal incidents in ATM kiosks.
Normally we observe that on very next day of a holiday or in other occasions, rolling shutters of many ATMs partially closed or fully closed due to non availability of cash or for any fault in the system and no notice board is placed on rolling shutter for public information and ATM users/public presumes the closure of ATM rolling shutter is connected with a cause.
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The pulling down of ATM rolling shutter partially or fully can be done by any person for any cause. Hence ATM Customers or public passing nearby such rolling shutter closed ATMs presume it as normal feature and does not expect/guess/suspect any panic or criminal activity in side such ATMs. Criminals have taken advantage of such presumptions being prevailed in the minds of public on closed ATM rolling shutters for committing crimes.
Hence to avoid such confusion or presumption in the minds of public /ATM users, it is suggested to provide a good locking provision to the ATM rolling shutter when it is in OPEN condition and the shutter Key should be with security guard /with Bank authorized person.
Such locking system of ATM rolling shutters in open condition will prevent unscrupulous persons and criminals attempting to close the rolling shutters of ATMs for committing crimes or misleading the ATM users of healthy ATMs.
Such locking provision of Rolling shutter of ATM in its OPEN condition could have averted the attack on the victim Jyothi Uday as it happened in day time.
Apart from the above suggestion, it is better not to have a locking provision to the glass door of ATMs and to provide standby power for the lighting in the ATM cubical at least during night times for enabling the public to notice and to render help when crime/attack happens to the ATM users during night times when unexpected power failure occurs.
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I frequently visit ATM’s all over the country, I have not seen adequate security at all times between 0430 to 2200 hrs. If you are accosted and demanded to draw the money you will be totally at the mercy of hoodlums. I rarely see a gaurd around the place, otherwise he will be found sleeping inside in the wee hours. You can consider yourself lucky if nothing untoward happens to you. Some times when you are operating ATM others will enter when I have to firmly tell them to go out , even then some intruders persist in stay put. Had there been a gaurd he will make them wait outside. In some ATM’s drop boxes are also kept for dropping cheques as also machines for dropping cash. Who knows who is going to be the next victim. It is more or less an automobile accident who ever is at fault victim pays with the consequences.
The opinion of Mr KC Bose is really good and can easily implement by the respective banks. Besides necessary to ensure presence of a security staff all the time. There may be a practical difficulty for this. This can be overcome by the banks by authorising the security staff to lock the cubicle and to display a notice with the duration of the cubicle remains locked. Banks should monitor misuse of its authorisation, to avoid discomfort to customers. Safety, security and the break for the staff are all equally important.
let us not use any ATM which is not having proper security cover. after all it is we and we should be only careful. and do not enter where there are multi money outlets. this is not only for your safety alone but for your card’s micro details also.