In the last three months, terrorists have stormed five banks and looted over Rs 30 lakh.
After a spate of bank robberies by heavily armed terrorists in Kashmir, the security forces have come up with new security plans to prevent looting of banks, as terrorists are facing a cash crunch following demonetisation.
In south Kashmir's Pulwama district, the worst affected by terrorism, at first glance a Jammu and Kashmir Bank branch looks like any other bank, but step in and a new security system is in place. Bank Marshals discreetly keep a hawk's eye and CCTV cameras, hooters and sirens have been installed to raise an alarm if one goes close to the currency chest.
"We have devised a detailed mechanism in consultation with the banks. We sat together and devised mechanism whereby in any case whenever as cash vans which to take cash from chests banks are covered by security which has been enhanced," said Rayees Bhat, Senior Superintendent of Police, Pulwama.
In the last three months, terrorists have stormed five banks and looted over Rs 30 lakh.
At two places, they were even caught on camera during the loot. Now as part of the new guidelines, banks in terrorism-hit areas have been designated sensitive and hyper sensitive; cash will be made available to banks in militancy hit areas based on their immediate need; before sending cash to a branch, it is mandatory for banks to inform the police; bank employees are being kept under surveillance to prevent leak of any information about availability of cash in a branch.