Ranchi: At an ATM kiosk in the city, help can be as elusive as security. A card may get stuck, a transaction may fail or a stranger may offer unsolicited assistance — but in most booths, there is no guard to turn to.A TOI check of several ATM kiosks across the city on Tuesday night and Wednesday found that while nearly all had CCTV cameras, most operated without security guards, including after dark. Guards were largely seen only at kiosks located next to bank branches.The absence of on-site security has come under sharper scrutiny after an employee of Birsa Agricultural University allegedly lost Rs 45,000 when his ATM card was swapped by a fraudster at a Kanke kiosk on Sept 5. The accused reportedly posed as a helpful bystander before unauthorised withdrawals were made.“A guard at the kiosk could not only act as a deterrent but also help customers deal with issues such as cards getting stuck, failed transactions or suspicious activity. But a large number of ATMs in Ranchi do not have guards,” said Shivam Prasad, an elderly resident of Upper Bazar.Customers said CCTV cameras could help identify offenders but could not prevent crimes or assist users in real time.“A CCTV camera can only record an incident and might help in catching the perpetrators, but it cannot prevent one. Elderly people are more vulnerable at such kiosks,” said Tejvinder Singh, a resident of Kokar.Several users also said they were unsure whom to contact when an ATM malfunctioned or retained their card, particularly at kiosks located away from bank branches or in isolated stretches.Ranchi has 729 ATMs operated by private and nationalised banks. An official of the State-Level Bankers’ Committee, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said deploying guards at every ATM was not mandatory. However, the official added that guards provided an “additional layer of security” and were deployed by agencies outsourced by banks based on a threat assessment of each location.
