As banks opened on Tuesday after a three-day break, the police had to intervene to calm angry customers at Kelakam in northern Kannur district and Uzhavoor in Kottayam after they turned their ire against bank officials on being informed about shortage of cash.
Long queues were seen in front of the Kelakam branch of Federal Bank since early morning as people waited patiently for the rural branch to open. The branch caters to the needs of customers in Kelakam and Kottiyoor grama panchayats of Kannur. However, when bank officials informed the customers that there was no cash, people grew restive and prevented opening of the branch.
The police had to step in to bring the matter under control and all customers in the queue were given tokens and asked to come on Wednesday to collect the cash.
“About 300 persons were standing in the queue even before the branch opened. We had put up a “no cash” board as there was some shortage. The customers insisted that all those standing in the queue should be paid money on Tuesday itself, which was not possible for us,” bank’s chief manager V.M. Vijayan, told PTI.
The high range branch, bordering Wayanad district, has mostly farmers as its customers. -- PTI
Special Correspondent writes from Kottayam: Verbal brickbats between two sections of people waiting for cash withdrawal at the State Bank of Travancore branch at Uzhavoor resulted in the police intervening to disperse the mob. According to the bank authorities, cash with the branch had exhausted by 11.15 a.m. and bank officials had gone to Changanassery to fetch more cash. This drew critical comments from one section of the clients who were queueing up at the bank. A few others objected to this, resulting in the unruly situation. The bank authorities called in the police, who dispersed the warring groups.
