Bengaluru, May 23 (IANS): With the arrest of four persons, Bengaluru police claimed to have cracked a murder and an ATM robbery case after four years.

According to the police, the arrested were identified as N. Kumar, (23), M. B. Prasanna (31), K. Madhusudhan (23) and U. Mahesh (22).

Deputy commissioner of police (East Division), S. D. Sharnappa told reporters that two of the accused Kumar and Prasanna worked as drivers of Yes Bank ATM cash delivery vehicles for a substantial period of time to gather enough information of various vehicles that transport cash as well the routes they take.

Basically, both accused worked as drivers until they got all the information to hatch a meticulous plan to rob a cash-carrying vehicle after he had left the job," the police officer explained.

According to him, after Kumar and Prasanna leave their jobs at different points of time and for the same vehicles, other drivers get appointed.

"They succeed in convincing one of these drivers - Abdul Shahid - who was working with the ATM cash delivery vehicles by offering him a major share of the loot. Shahid took the bait and followed these people's directions and fled with a cash-laden vehicle once security guards and cash depositors entered the ATM leaving Shahid alone," the police said.

"After fleeing from the spot, Shaid joins these four accused that were following him in a separate vehicle, where they succeed in shifting cash bags and a trunk containing Rs 75 lakh into their vehicle," the police added.

"But after this entire robbery operation, Shahid develops cold feet and pleads with these four accused to leave him alone to his fate and assure that he would not disclose their names," the DCP added.

The police said that as soon as Shahid backtracks after the robbery, the quartet drove the vehicle straight to Sakleshpura Taluk in Hassan district.

"The quartet murder Shahid and dumped him from 'Beauty Spot', a scenic spot, as well as deepest gorge, exists here," the police added.

The DCP added that when this robbery case was reported the complaint was booked against Shahid as the prime suspect, but after his body was recovered by Sakleshpur police changed the direction of the investigation entirely and it took relentless efforts Kumar was arrested who spilt the beans and following his disclosure, other three accused were also arrested.

The police have registered a case and are investigating.