Police Arrest Driver and Two Sons for Rs 17 Lakh SBI ATM Van Theft in Charminar

The Hyderabad Police have arrested a cash van driver and his two sons for allegedly stealing Rs 17 lakh from a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM cash van. The arrest and subsequent recovery of most of the stolen money occurred within 48 hours of the crime, which took place near an SBI ATM in the Charminar Zone on Tuesday, June 23.

According to the police, the main accused, cash van driver Chirra Srinivas, planned the theft to take place while the vehicle was parked. While the cash loading staff and security personnel were inside the ATM kiosk to deposit money, Srinivas took the cash bag containing Rs 17 lakh from the vehicle and fled the spot.

Srinivas moved to a nearby lane where a motorcycle had already been arranged. His son, Chirra Anish, picked him up on the two-wheeler, and the two escaped. After fleeing, the accused changed locations to hide the money, later handing over a portion of the stolen cash to Srinivas's other son, Chirra Jaswanth.

Following a complaint by the cash custodian, investigation teams along with the Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, Charminar Zone, launched a search operation. Investigators used CCTV footage from the ATM area and nearby roads to identify Srinivas as the main suspect and establish Anish's involvement in facilitating the escape. Technical analysis and field inputs helped police track their movements.

Police first apprehended Chirra Srinivas and Chirra Anish. Following their interrogation, Chirra Jaswanth was also arrested. Officers recovered Rs 14,55,000 in cash, the motorcycle used in the crime, and four mobile phones.

"The accused planned the theft carefully, but our teams acted quickly using CCTV and technical evidence. The case was solved in a short time and most of the cash was recovered," said DCP Charminar Zone Khare Kiran Prabhakar. All three accused have been produced before the court and sent to judicial custody.