Suspended Bank PO Arrested with Pistols and Ammo in Foiled Kakinada ATM Robbery Plot

Speedy Summary:

• Kakinada City police arrested Chitikela Nageswara Rao, a suspended Probationary Officer (PO) of Chaitanya Godavari Grameen Bank (CGGB), on March 19, 2025.
• The arrest foiled his plan to rob ATMs either in Visakhapatnam or on the Andhra-Tamil Nadu border.
• Police recovered two pistols and 17 bullets procured from Munger district in Bihar during the arrest.
• Mr. Nageswara Rao,aged 33 and a resident of Maddilapalem,Visakhapatnam,was earlier involved in stealing 900 grams of mortgaged gold from CGGB’s branch in West Godavari district for betting purposes.
• He had also withdrawn ₹2.3 lakh from CGGB’s Yeleswaram branch ATM by stealing its passcode.
• The accused has a history of involvement in four house burglary cases and had conducted reconnaissance operations for the planned ATM robbery.
• A case has been registered against him, and an examination is underway.

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Indian Opinion Analysis:

The arrest of a suspended bank employee involved in criminal activities raises concerns about trust and security within financial institutions. That an individual with internal knowledge of banking systems engaged not only in theft but also planned armed robberies indicates serious lapses during recruitment or monitoring processes within such organizations.

This case notably points to growing criminal networks across state borders-evidenced by firearms procurement from Bihar-for financially motivated crimes that are increasingly organized. It also underscores the need for stronger inter-state coordination between police forces to disrupt illegal weapons circulation.

On a larger scale, this incident highlights the importance of enhanced surveillance mechanisms both within banks and law enforcement agencies’ response strategies to preempt such crimes before they escalate into public safety risks.