SBI ATM in Koti, Hyderabad, where unknown assailants opened fired on on a 26-year-old cloth merchant on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
Panic prevailed in Koti on Saturday (January 31, 2026) morning after unidentified assailants opened fire on a 26-year-old cloth merchant and fled with ₹6 lakh in cash near the State Bank of India’s main branch. The Sultan Bazar police have booked a case.According to the complaint lodged by Rinshad P.V., 26, son of Abdul Aziz, a businessman dealing in readymade children’s clothing from Kozhikode, Kerala, and presently residing at Jannath Apartments, Nampally, he had arrived in Hyderabad on January 7, carrying ₹6 lakh in cash to purchase wholesale stock at Diwan Devdi. As the purchases did not materialise, he was advised by his cousin Mishban to deposit the cash in his bank account.On January 31, 2026, at around 7 a.m., the complainant reached the SBI Main Branch ATM at Bank Street, Koti, on a two-wheeler belonging to his friend Ameer. While he was depositing the cash, two unidentified persons approached him from behind and threatened him by pressing a firearm against his abdomen.The assailants fired two rounds, one of which hit the complainant on his right leg, causing a bleeding injury. They then forcibly snatched the cash bag and the vehicle keys and fled the spot on the victim’s vehicle bearing registration number TS 08 HN 8582.The accused proceeded towards the Chaderghat signal and later to Nimboliadda, Kacheguda, where they abandoned the vehicle. After changing their clothes, they escaped on foot towards Kachiguda X Roads. From there, they engaged an autorickshaw till Kacheguda railway station and changed another auto towards the old city. “As of 9 p.m., their last known location was Chandrayangutta. Our teams are working on catching them at the earliest,” an officer close to the investigation revealed.Upon receiving the information, police reached the spot soon and cordoned off the area. Officers have begun examining CCTV footage from the bank premises and surrounding establishments in an effort to identify and trace the suspects. Preliminary investigations suggest that the assailants might be known to the victim.A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.Taking serious note of the incident, Hyderabad police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said that they have constituted special crime teams to investigate the case and trace the accused.“A case has been registered at Sultanbazar Police Station under Sections 109 for attempt to murder and 309 for robbery of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 27 of the Arms Act, 1959,” said the officer.Special teams are analysing CCTV footage, examining technical evidence, and coordinating with neighbouring jurisdictions to apprehend the absconding accused at the earliest.Ensuring the safety of citizens remains our highest priority, and all available resources are being deployed to bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly. Members of the public are requested to share any information related to suspicious movements by dialling 100. The identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential. Published - January 31, 2026 10:21 am IST
