Strengthen security at banks: SP to bankers

Bankers responsible for the cash and property deposited with them

Warangal: Bankers should focus on strengthening security at their premises to keep a check on bank heists, said Warangal rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Ambar Kishor Jha.

He wanted the bankers to frequently review the security arrangements on the bank premises so as to identify and rectify any possible loopholes in terms of safety measures.

“Public will have great trust on the banks while depositing cash or valuables. If the banks were looted then the trust would be breached. The bankers should take complete responsibility for the cash and property deposited with them,” the SP said.

He addressed a gathering of officials from various banks at an awareness programme held on Friday at district police headquarters in Hanamkonda on safety standards at the banks.

Programme was organised by the district rural and urban police wings in the backdrop of sensational heist that took place at Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank at Bhupalpally town and Azamnagar village branches on November 15 and came to light on November 17.

Police officials have made several suggestions to the bankers on improving the safety standards. It was suggested to install high-quality closed circuit cameras inside and outside the banks to closely monitor the movements of visitors. Most of the times those committing robberies conduct recce and suspects could be identified easily if high quality CCTV cameras were installed.

The bankers should lay focus on deploying armed guards at banks and at ATM centres on 24/7 basis. The bankers should also educate their customers about attention diversion thefts, which in the recent past, have become a trend, the police officials suggested.

Importantly, efforts have to be made to strengthen the bank strong rooms with high-level security measures. The walls of the strong rooms should be reinforced and officials should not trust their lower level workers in executing key functions.

The bank officials responded by saying that they would take note of suggestions and initiate steps in strengthening security measures. They lauded the Police Department for organising the meet.

Additional SP Anil Kumar, DSPs Eashwar, Ravinder Rao, Shoban Kumar and Surendranath, special branch inspectors Srinivasa Rao and Mohan Raja, State Bank of Hyderabad area general manager SK Patel, Indian Overseas Bank regional manager M Rajeshwari, DCCB general manager Surender and APGVB regional manager Sukumar were present.