Berhampur, Nov. 11: A 21-year-old student of ITI Berhampur had masterminded the crime of uprooting an automated teller machine (ATM) of the State Bank of India at Ankuli Industrial Estate area last week. The ITI student and six of his gang members, who had decamped with the safe box, has been arrested.

Superintendent of police, Berhampur, Safin Ahmed K said ITI student Deba Prasad Padhi, who is a resident of Ankuli Industrial Estate area, had a few criminal cases are pending against him.

“Seven persons have been arrested and the police are looking for two more persons. The money which was loaded in the safe box has been recovered,” said Ahmed.

The police have also seized a Tavera car which had been used to transport the safe box.

“We will discuss the issue with senior SBI officials as the SBI management must take safety measures to avoid such incidents. Security guards must be deployed at all ATM counters. Moreover. the authorities must ensure proper installation of ATM and there should be regular supervision of the working of closed circuit TV,” the police chief said.

The police officer said that the SBI ATM at Ankuli Industrial Estate area was not properly bolted and there was no security personnel to guard.

Along with Padhi, his aides Babula Patra, 26, Pintu Pradha, 20, Toofan Gouda, 30, Sanjiv K. Nayak alias Bapi, 27, Rajan Gouda, 27, and Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra alias Munna 22. Sudhansu Sekhar is the driver of the Tavera car (OR07 R5317) that has SBI stickers and was to be used as an official vehicle for the bank’s Aska branch two days later.

“Though we had initially mentioned that the looted safe had Rs 14,29,200 in it, later we found Rs 1,44,22,000 inside it,” the SP said.

Deba Prasad Padhi along with Babula Patra and Pintu Pradhan are also involved in five chain snatching cases.