Social media users are shook because of images and videos circulating that show a bunch of destroyed bank notes inside an ATM kiosk. Allegedly, dead rats were also found inside. When maintenance staff opened the ATM on June 11, after the machine had been out of use since May 20, they found shredded bank notes equaling ₹12.38 lakh, a little more than $18,000 USD, the Hindu reports.
Rats chew up ₹12 lakhs in cash at an ATM in Tinsukia, Assam- the out-of-service ATM was left locked for a month in Tinsukia, Assam (ATM maintenance staff retrieved around ₹17 lakh in undamaged notes when they went to service the cash machine).
— Sayoni Aiyar (@sayoniaiyar) June 18, 2018
According to officials, it’s likely rats are to blame since some dead rats were also found in the ATM, according to the Hindu. The ATM belongs to the State Bank of India and is located in Assam, a state in northeastern India. The Hindu reports that a private security firm deposited ₹29.48 lakh ($43,306 USD) in the ATM on May 19 and then was out of service the following day. The matter is currently under investigation, according to NDTV.
Many people posted about the incident on Twitter and Facebook. Some were outraged and some tried to find a bit of humor in it. Others are a bit suspicious, according to the Economic Times.
Really Size doesn’t matter!! What a rat this is! Rat-bitten bank notes worth Rs 12 lakh 38 thousand. Torn notes and dead rat found inside ATM in Tinsukia Assam. Rat found dead before little one could bite remaining Rs 17 lakh 10 thousand. pic.twitter.com/3Omns7gAZH
— Nandan Pratim Sharma Bordoloi ?? (@NANDANPRATIM) June 18, 2018
Rats in India have chewed up $18,000 worth of money in an ATM. Basically the feeling I have when bills come out of my account! pic.twitter.com/ZGBR76tKSp
— Sarah O’Connell (@SarahO_Connell) June 19, 2018
How can a mice tore to shreds notes worth Rs 12 lakhs inside an ATM belonging to the State Bank of India (SBI) in a night ?
An amount of 29lakhs deposited on May 19th & This incident found on Jun 11. But May 20 & June 11 machine went out of Service #SurgicalStrikeBySBI ??
— Manoj Prabakar S (@imanojprabakar) June 19, 2018
The Economic Times quotes a local who says people are suspicious about how long the ATM was out of service and the amount of time it took mechanics to go attempt to fix the machine.
This is what happens when rat enters into ATM pic.twitter.com/UTcPkE0cZm
— BIGG BOSS TELUGU 2 (@NarsiSai) June 19, 2018
But one thing’s for sure — we don’t want any rats inside our ATMs. Maybe this is yet another excuse not to carry cash.