In a midnight heist, thieves struck at a Syndicate Bank ATM at Yemmiganur in Andhra's Kurnool district, and looted Rs 17.35 lakh on Wednesday night.
The ATM machine was situated in the premises of the bank, and was opened using gas cutters, the police said.
The theft was reported when bank officials saw the broken ATM on Thursday morning.
The Times of India quoted Yemminganur inspector G Prasad, saying that the CCTV camera in the ATM room was not functioning for the past three to four days, and the heist was well-planned and executed by an organised gang.
Other reports added that dog squads and forensic teams have been pressed into service, after Adoni DSP K Srinivas Rao visited the spot.
The police said that investigation was underway and more details would emerge soon.
This follows a similar robbery earlier this month, where unidentified persons robbed an SBI ATM at Nakkaladinne locality in Madanapalle town, and reportedly decamped with Rs 20 lakh.
Even in that case, a gas cutter was used to open the ATM. The police suspect that an inter-state gang may be behind the robberies.
Last month, the Vijayawada police arrested four members of an inter-state gang, after the stole Rs 72, 000 from an ATM of Central Bank of India under the jurisdiction of the Bhavanipuram Police.
"The gang members would target an isolated ATM centre and draw money from the machine using their debit card. As soon as the money comes out, they open the machine’s panel and switch off the power supply before the machine updates withdrawal information. At the end, the amount in their account will not be debited, but they get the cash in hand," DCP Kranti Rana Tata told media personsI.