Patna, Dec. 12: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has written to the home department, recommending some measures after seven daring bank dacoities over the past two months, five of them less than a month ago.

“We have written to the principal home secretary and suggested they adopt a few basic measures for security at banks,” RBI regional director (Bihar and Jharkhand) 

Manoj Kumar Verma told The Telegraph today.

The letter pointed out that all the bank dacoities took place during the daytime. Hence, the police should ensure frequent daytime patrolling in areas where the bank branches are. Around Rs 1 crore was looted in the seven recent incidents. RBI asked the police to ensure all branches have an up-to-date, functional security apparatus like alarms, hotlines connected to police stations and closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras. It also suggested a regular check to ensure these are working.

The leading bank asked for corrective measures within 15 days at branches where security gadgets and CCTV cameras are not functioning or not installed. The letter also suggested modern methods to nab culprits, who are themselves using technology to bypass measures and commit crimes.

Manoj cited the Rs 43 lakh loot from a Canara Bank branch in Nalanda district on November 29. “The criminals knew CCTV cameras were installed so they first took away the computer hard disk these were connected to,” Manoj said.
The letter suggests installation of internet protocol (IP)-based CCTV cameras so that recordings can be seen and stored at remote locations, away from the branch.

The apex bank also asked commercial banks to take a few steps themselves. “We have received complaints that branch managers do not inform the police about cash transfers at their branches. We have asked them to text details like time and route for such work to the superintendent of police (SP), deputy superintendent of police (DSP) concerned and station house officers,” Manoj said.

The RBI told the banks to use unmarked or unidentifiable vehicles for cash transfers. A high-pitch alarm should be installed in these vehicles and its button placed near the driver’s seat. Moreover, the cash box should be welded to the delivery vans so that criminals cannot decamp with them. And separate messengers should ferry keys of these cashboxes to the bank branches concerned.

Bihar Police additional director general (ADG) (headquarters) Sunil Kumar said all district SPs have been asked to hold meetings with senior officials of commercial banks and ensure coordination between them and the police. “We also directed the SPs to conduct security review of the banks and get electronic alarm and surveillance gadgets installed where missing. They have also been asked to ensure mandatory daily police checks at bank branches,” the ADG said.
Only time will tell if these measures will help put an end to incidents of bank loot.