Mice have apparently chewed through 1.2 million INR (N6.7m) worth of bank notes.
The rodents snacked on the currency inside an ATM in Tinsukia, which is located in north-eastern India’s Assam state.
Staff at the State Bank of India called technicians after the cash machine stopped working, according to Times of India.
When the engineer opened up the ATM they were shocked to discover rodents had chewed through 1.2 million INR, which was half of the cash inside.
Pics shows: The money destroyed by the rats;
Bank technicians were shocked to discover the reason why a cash machine had stopped working – mice had got inside and eaten the money.
The rodents had chewed their way through 1.2 million INR (13,400 GBP) in banknotes inside the ATM in the Laipuli area of the city of Tinsukia in north-eastern India’s Assam state.
The branch of the State Bank of India called in workmen after the cash machine stopped working but could not believe what was causing the problem.
When the ATM was opened up, they found that mice had chewed most of the money inside the machine into shreds.
The day before the cash machine had stopped working, a private security firm had filled it up with 500 and 2,000 INR banknotes. Almost half of the money had been ripped up by the rodents.
Local media reports that a complaint has been lodged with local police – although it is not clear what officers are expected to do about the rodents.
Tinsukia district Superintendent of Police, Mugdhajyoti Mahanta, said the bank’s maintenance company had called out an engineer from Kolkata to repair the ATM.
“When the engineer and other officials opened the ATM, they found destroyed notes and also found a dead mouse inside the ATM,” he said.
Pictures of the state of the ATM which workmen found when they opened it up have been proving popular after they were shared on social media.
Twitter user ‘mogembokhushua’ commented: “Surgical strike by mice on ATM machine.”
One user said: “Looks like the mice are having a demonetisation of their own”, while another added: “The money launderer’s version of ‘My dog ate my homework’.”
The bank has since complained to the police but no-one quite knows what they expect them to do about it.
Tinsukia district Superintendent of Police Mugdhajyoti Mahanta said: ‘When the engineer and other officials opened the ATM, they found destroyed notes and also found a dead mouse inside the ATM.’
