Assam: Mice Destroy Notes Worth Rs 12 Lakh Inside ATM in Tinsukia

In Assam's Tinsukia district a mischief of rats tore currency 500 and 2000 notes worth 12 lakhs into tiny bits and pieces in a State Bank of India ATM on May 19.

A mischief of mice destroyed currency notes worth Rs.12 lakh inside an ATM belonging to the State Bank of India (SBI) in Assam’s Tinsukia district. Apparently, the ATM run by FIS: Global Business Solutions, a Guwahati-based financial company deposited Rs.29 lakhs inside the kiosk on May 19. A local Tinsukia-based journalist affirmed, “The ATM had stopped working the following day.”

Since May 20, the SBI ATM (DFBK – 000196116) in Laipuli area was shut down on account of technical failure. When repairmen came to fix the machine on June 11, a different kind of demonetisation appeared at the forefront. Inside the ATM, behind closed doors, lay heaps of 500 and 2,000 rupee notes in shreds. Bank officials blame the mice for the mishap that cost Rs 12,38,000. “We have been able to salvage about Rs 17 lakhs,” a bank official reportedly confirmed on Monday morning.

Everybody smells a rat since the incident happened under mysterious circumstances. An FIR has been lodged by the government lender with Tinsukia police to probe the incident.

The journalist who first received a Whatsapp alert on the matter said, “May 20 and June 11 is a significant period of time for an ATM to be out of service. People are suspicious as to why it took so long for the mechanics to arrive.”