Cash delivered in rural Ajmer after lockout of branch

AJMER: Different banks on Tuesday made provisions to provide cash at banks in rural Ajmer after the villagers locked the main gate of a bank branch in Arai village yesterday. Villagers here had warned that they needed money for fertilizers, failing which they will stage protest.
According to sources, after the two-day bank holiday, the only bank in Ajmer’s Arai village opened on Monday, however, even after waiting for the whole day, the villagers did not receive cash.Thus, late in the afternoon, angry villagers locked the main gate of the bank. “There are about 24 villages around here for whom there is only one bank in Arai. They travelled long distances to reach here but did not get money,” said member of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, Arjun Singh.
Villagers locked the main gate of the bank branch and sat on a dharna on Monday. They did not allow any bank staff to move out. “We got the information and rushed to the spot. We counselled the villagers and assured them of adequate cash in the branch,” said police.
The police directed the bank officials to make provisions for sufficient cash in the rural branch of the bank. They said a report had also been sent to the senior officials of different banks.
Sources say, locking out the premises has become a way of agitation for the villagers in Ajmer. In the past too, they have locked government schools on account of few teachers.
Officials said that cash was adequately delivered by banks on Tuesday.