BANK DACOITY / LOOT
– PREVENTION By
The recent unfortunate incident of shoot and loot in
Aazamgargh, is a matter of perennial concern. Based upon my 20 year stint in
Eastern U.P., I am suggesting a few preventive steps which are purely my
experience sharing and neither exhaustive nor binding.
1. SPADEWORK……. Like terrorists, the dacoits/looters also do recce and
study the vulnerability factors like location isolation, laxity of people in
and around bank / road, resistance in any form and money to risk ratio. You
step into their shoes and study these things yourself and will surely be able
to plug the loopholes and level of awareness will increase.
2. INFORMERS…….. The dacoits / looters will rarely depend upon such
police type channels but during their information gathering mission, they will
try to extract information about bank / staff / remittance mode etc. from
nearby tea vendors / betel shops / small restaurants / halwai shops. My
suggestion to the Branch Heads is to befriend such stall / shop owners and make
them your informers. Banks do have their attraction magnets in many forms and
once you hit the psyche of such persons, you are able to get another layer of
protection for you and branch.
3. BE SOCIAL……. For Branch Heads, bank pays the membership fee for LIONS
/ ROTARY / JAYCEE clubs. When you widen your circle the defence mechanism
increases. The exposure to many people results into vital information gathering
and action by communication. In smaller towns, the functions / projects of
these clubs are presided by District Magistrate / Superintendent of Police. Not
only these clubs provide you business development opportunity and another
protection shield, you are also able to recreate after heavy or monotonous
routine. For rural branches, the attending of 13th day rites in
villages (branch gets plenty of invitations) is also very vital. When you are
known to so many people by mere appearance, they are your de-facto army. In
eastern U.P. the sentiments of village people play a bigger role and you just
need the gift of the gab besides better customer service at the branch. So be
Bhojpuri while in eastern U.P.!
4. TEAM THEME…….. Nothing new but when you eat / move / attend together,
the dacoits / looters increase their quota of fear factors!
5. LIAISON WITH
POLICE / GOVT. OFFICIALS……. Have their contact
numbers and a box of sweets to your area police chauki or thana on Janmastami
or any other occasion will work. Bank dacoity / loot is a big blot for police /
district administration, hence, they will reciprocate promptly to your any
preventive or SOS communication.
6. CASH / VAN
MANAGEMENT……. Nothing new but
some of the cash rich businessman clients gives / takes cash and the
influential big vehicle owning clients can lend their vehicles as per your need
and convenience. The locals factor is also a deterrent to the dacoits / looters
and some of our clients do sport licenced revolvers. So your solo move risk
factor can be taken care of.
7. CLOSED CIRCUIT
CAMERAS……. Like locks in our
homes, it also an additional deterrent to the dacoits / looters. Please keep it
maintained.
8. LOCKING SYSTEMS…….. Eastern U.P. in the eighties witnessed spurt in branch
loots and modus operandi was to lock staff / clients in store room / strong
room. Have special door handles / locks wherein it becomes impossible to lock
from outside unless one breaks the lock locked sideways.
9. DELAY BUT DO NOT
CONFRONT…….. Life is more
precious than cash so when situation arises, you may go for subtle delaying
tactics but never resist by risking your life. Some 18 years back in one of the
Varanasi adjoining branch during dacoity / loot, the Accountant of the branch
being local identified one of the dacoits and exclaimed “Areytuhau”!? he was
shot and hanged to branch ceiling fan by the dacoits to prevent identification.
The moral of this ghastly incident…… control your emotions and be tight lipped.
ONCE AGAIN YOUR LIFE IS MORE PRECIOUS!
10. MY CASE STUDY…….. In 1991 I became rural B.M. ofChambaltara, Jaunpur.
The command area consisted 25 villages and I was BLBCconvenor too. There were 3
roads leading to different directions and many side stepping narrow village
kutcha roads?! One fine morning tea vendor Maurya came to me and whispered to
me “Sahab, kal do ladke Hero Honda sebank band hone k bad aye they aur bank k
bare mei pooch rahe the. Unki motorcycle par Azamgarhka number tha”. During
those days the bank dacoits were using LML Vespa and Hero Honda two wheelers
and had been duos. I immediately contacted C.O. (city) Sri Rajesh Pandey and
gave him the details. Ebullient Sri Pandey swung into immediate action and
sealed all roads leading to branch by plain cloth policemen. But dacoits
smelled the rat and chickened out and till my tenure (upto1994) didn’t think of
entering Chambaltara! I wish such luck to all Unionites!
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