Ranchi, Jun 29 (IANS): Unidentified criminals robbed Rs 37 lakh by breaking open an ATM machine in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district on Saturday.

According to the Police, criminals cut open the State Bank of India (SBI) ATM with a gas cutter and took away Rs 37 lakh. The incident took place at a roadside ATM situated in Tatajharia locality on National Highway 100 of Hazaribagh district.

The criminals first covered the CCTV with a cloth and later broke it. The initial footage indicates that four criminals came by car around 3 a.m. on Saturday and managed to take away all the money in the ATM, police said.

No security guard was posted there at the time of the robbery.

"We have started an investigation to arrest the criminals. We have taken it as a challenge" Sahdeo Sao, Deputy Superintendent of Police of the area, said to the media.

The police is trying to get CCTV camera footage from nearby places to trace the criminals.