Private cash collection centre worker shot at, out of danger

Hyderabad: An employee of a private cash collection agency was shot at by an unknown assailant at Katedan on Monday evening.

The victim is Prasad, 30, employee of Geosansar banking services company's Katedan branch affiliated to the SBI's Katedan branch. According to Shamshabad DCP AR Srinivas, Geosansar staff collect small cash deposits from people and send it to the bank accounts, specified by the customers on behalf of SBI. "Everyday, the two cash counter clerks of Geosansar collect about Rs 4 lakh cash from customers and deposit the same in SBI's Katedan branch," the DCP said.

Geosansar's cash collection counters are located right opposite to SBI's Katedan branch. At about 3 pm, a man claiming himself to be, Rahul Kumar, came to one of the the Geosansar's cash collection counter, manned by employee, Prasad.

"The customer gave Rs 500 to Prasad to deposit in a particular bank account (SB A/C 32054969101 of one Rohit Sharma). After Prasad completed the formalities in the computer and deposited the money into the account, the customer pulled out a country-made firearm from his pocket and shot at Prasad from a close range," the DCP said.

After firing a single shot, the accused fled from the spot. Prasad then went to his colleague, who operates from an adjacent shop, and told him about the attack. The co-worker rushed Prasad to a local hospital and from there he was shifted to a corporate hospital in Lakdikapul.

"One single round entered Prasad's body right below his chest. The round did not exit from the body. The doctors will have to surgically remove it. Prasad's condition is said to be out of danger," the DCP said.

Prasad told police that the assailant spoke to him in Hindi with a Bihari accent. Prasad also told the cops that he never saw the assailant and the attack was unprovoked.

Cops did not find any shell casings at the crime scene and there were no CCTV cameras at the cash collection centre. Police are now analysing the footages of CCTV cameras from the neighbourhood. Cops are yet to find out the real name of the accused and they are getting the details of the bank account, where the offender deposited the money. A case was registered under section 307 of the IPC and the Arms Act.