Bidar, 16 Jan

Bike-borne armed robbers shot dead a man and injured another before decamping with Rs 93 lakh cash meant for filling the SBI ATM in the district headquarters town of Bidar on Thursday, police said.

The incident took place near the deputy commissioner's office complex.

The deceased is Giri Venkatesh, 40, and the injured is Shivakumar Rajshekhar, 33. Both men worked for an agency responsible for refilling the ATM with cash. The robbers, travelling in a four-wheeler, followed the cash transport van and threw chilli powder in the faces of the two men and a security guard.

A gunman then alighted from the vehicle, escorted the staff to the ATM cabin, and opened fire with a revolver at close range. The robbers subsequently escaped with the money.

The ATM cabin is adjacent to the SBI head bank. The robbers were wearing face masks. The security guard, who was also affected by the chilli powder, was unable to use his rifle. Bidar police are currently reviewing CCTV footage to identify and apprehend the suspects.

Sources indicate that the robbers fired eight rounds during the robbery.