2 arrested for duping Noida residents at ATMs

Noida: Two people, who allegedly duped residents of Noida and Greater Noida after exchanging their debit cards on the pretext of helping them, were arrested after a shootout on Friday morning, Noida police said.

Police identified the suspects with single names as Hanif, 32, and Shakeel, 25, both residents of Palwal, Haryana.

“On Friday morning, when a police team was conducting checks near Sector 82, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Phase 2 police station, two men were seen moving around on a motorcycle without carrying any registration number. When the police tried to stop the accused, they managed to escape in another direction,” said Shakti Mohan Avasthy, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Noida.

“While the police chased them, they abandoned the motorcycle and shot at the police. In retaliatory fire, they sustained bullet injuries on their legs and were rushed to a nearby hospital,” the DCP added.

During the investigation, the suspects are said to have revealed their modus operandi of the past months. “The suspects used to lay a trap outside the ATMs. Just as they noticed that every debit card holder was having trouble withdrawing cash, they secretly recorded the ATM PIN and exchanged the debit card under the pretext of assistance. Later, they withdrew money from a nearby ATM and fled the scene,” said DCP Avasthy.

Six cases of theft and a case of cheating have already been registered against Hanif at various police stations in Gautam Budh Nagar district, and a case of theft and the Arms Act has been registered against Shakeel. “We have recovered 26 ATM cards from different banks, two illegal country-made pistols and a motorcycle from their possession,” the officer added.