Unidentified people have broken open an ATM of a nationalised bank in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district and decamped with more than Rs 25 lakh, police said.

The incident took place at Singrawan along National Highway 2 in the Chouparan police station area on Thursday, Superintendent of Police Manoj Ratan Chothe said.

The incident came to light when a customer went to the ATM kiosk and found that the machine was broken and inoperative. He informed the bank authorities and the police, the SP said.

Police are investigating the matter, and forensic experts have collected evidence from the spot, he said. The crime is suspected to have been committed by some inter-state gang, and all police stations along NH 2 and other highways passing through the district have been alerted, the SP said. A search is underway to recover the looted cash and nab the accused, he added.?

With PTI inputs.