ATMs shut, rage at cash crunch boils over

RAJKOT/SURAT/VADODARA/AHMEDABAD: With many ATMs not dispensing money and banks scrambling for cash, citizens in dire need of cash started to lose their patience. Growing anxiety resulted in chaos at many bank branches across Gujarat. There were several incidents of skirmishes between police and the common public over the cash crunch.
The rush of people at banks doubled as those disappointed by ATMs thronged bank branches.
In Ahmedabad, there was chaos at the SBI headquarters at Lal Darwaja as hundreds queued up to make deposits and exchange demonetized currency notes. Citizens were manhandled by cops who were overwhelmed by the sheer flood of people.
“One cop suddenly started beating me up and heaped abuses on me while I was asking for a form to get Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes exchanged. The policeman berated me, alleging I was a thief who had come to pickpockets. I am an honest man and do not deserve such mistreatment,” said Sadiq Mohammad Pathan, (30), a Vatva resident.
Angry people took to raising slogans after the Dena Bank, Jamalpur branch in city shut at 5 pm. “We queued up for hours, waiting to get some cash. When people called the police to complain about this apathy, instead of helping us, they threatened to put us behind bars,” said Lakshman Marwadi, a local trader. Citizens had heated exchanges with security personnel at an HDFC bank branch after it locked its doors from outside at 4 pm.
In fact, police control lines for the toll-free 100 number were choked, as bank managers and people flooded it with over 700 demonetization-related complaints. Despite some 9,000 police personnel in addition to Home Guards deployed at banks and post offices on Friday, senior police officials admitted there were more instances of altercations with police. “The problem was compounded by non-functional ATMs, which led to longer queues for cash. Police had to use force when the numbers swelled exponentially,” said a senior city police official. Sources said that police had altercations with both bank officials and citizens in areas such as Shahpur and Vejalpur.
In Vadodara, there was no respite for bank officials as citizens kept queuing to withdraw money or exchange currency notes. Angry customers sparred with bank employees, as they had to wait for hours to get currency notes. A man identified as Harish Jingar even fell unconscious outside the State Bank of India (SBI) in Mandvi, after waiting for about two hours in the queue.
Banks in Panchmahal, however, witnessed a massive ruckus as angry customers even broke the glass door of the Dena Bank branch in Godhra. In Shehra taluka, police had to resort to a mild lathi-charge after locals crowded the State Bank of India branch to exchange currency notes.
“There is no option but to stand in the queue as I need cash for my daily expenses and to pay to my employees. Special counters should have been opened to dispense currency for a few days to avoid this inconvenience,” said Pritesh Lodhaya, who is in the transport business.
“The government promised that we would be able to withdraw new currency notes from ATMs from Friday, but I went across the city and none of the ATMs were working. It was terrifying, as I do not have money for my daily expenses,” said an agitated Bhavika Ramanuj, an engineering student from a Rajkot college who did not get cash despite spending three hours in a queue at a private bank. With desperation rising among people, there were stampede-like situations at a number of banks, as everyone was trying to get his/her hands on cash as early as possible.
In Surat too, chaos reigned at branches of many banks when people in large numbers gathered to withdraw money from ATMs on Friday morning. Queues extended for half a kilometre outside many bank branches at Dabholi and Katargam in the city. Irate customers argued with bank officials on learning that ATMs were not working. Fortunately, there was no violence anywhere.
The refusal of some petrol pumps to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes only added to citizens’ problems. People grew anxious when bank officials told them that they would be forced to shut on Saturday and Sunday if they did not get the required quantity of new notes from the Reserve Bank of India.