No respite for bank customers yet, currencies seized from train bogie, 4 held

Law Kumar Mishra

Patna: Although the bank branches remained open on Sunday, customers had little relief across the state as the banks closed before the scheduled time due to shortage of cash and ATMs going out of order. Incidents of violence were reported from Samastipur, Narkatiyaganj and Mahnar, where agitated customers even resorted road blockade.

At Narkatiaganj, people clashed at a bank branch and many fell down in an adjoining drainage resulting into minor injuries to over a dozen customers. At Phulwarisharif near Patna too clash took place among the customers waiting in the queue. Two women came to blows. At a branch of Canara Bank in Vaishali district, agitated customers
attacked the bank which closed at 3 pm against the scheduled time of 8 pm. At Sitamarhi Head Post- office too, customers resorted to violence and damaged the post- office building and ransacked the cash counter as post officials informed them about the shortage of money. Incidents of clashes were also reported from Motihari, Masaurhi (Patna), Gopalganj, Pusa ( Samastipur), Tilkamanjhi ( Bhagalpur), Belaganj ( Gaya) and Kishanganj.

In the state capital Patna, there was literally no relief to the customers at ATMs which remained closed on Sunday also. Even at smaller branches like Dena Bank’s Ashok Nagar branch, people had queue up in the wee hours. Railway protection Force (RPF) recovered high denomination currency notes valued at about Rs one crore from an air- conditioned coach of Danapur-Udhana express at Danapur. Four passenegers including two women were arrested and are being questioned.