Panic stricken depositors mill around Bengaluru bank after RBI caps withdrawal limit
Bengaluru, Jan 14: Panic stricken depositors milled around the Sri Guru Raghavendra Cooperative Bank here on Tuesday to withdraw their money, days after the Reserve Bank of India capped the withdrawal limit to Rs 35,000.
The depositors, mostly senior citizens, were concerned about their money deposited in the bank and worried as to how long it might take for the situation to get resolved.
Expressing disappointment about the bank's response to their concerns, many said they put their money in the bank as it provided an additional one per cent interest.
Some depositors even compared the situation with another PMC bank like crisis.
Bank officials maintained that depositors' money was 'hundred per cent' safe and are expected to hold a meeting with them on January 19.
One such meeting that was supposed to be held on Monday could not take place.
BankChairman KRamakrishna said the bank has stability and there was no reason for depositors to worry or panic.
Stating that RBI restrictions cited the rise in Non Performing Assets, he said "NPA during last March was 0.50 per cent, but as they have taken the numbers of the last eight years, there is some confusion.
The restrictions are not permanent. It is temporary in the interest of the depositors and the bank... Banks license has not been cancelled," he said.
Requesting depositors not to fear, he further said the management was committed to set things right and the bank has a good record of over 20 years on their side.
He said the bank has not given any benami loans and has Rs 2,200 crore security.
"We are in talks with RBI to bring in normalcy...please dont panic on hearing what others are saying,'' he added.
Meanwhile, Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been appraised of the matter and was personally monitoring the issue.
"I want to assure all depositors of Sri Guru Raghavendra Co-operative Bank to not panic.
Hon'ble Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman is appraised of matter & is personally monitoring the issue.
She has assured Govt will protect interests of depositors. Grateful for her concern," he tweeted last night.
The MP's office in a statement has said that the Finance Minister has even spoken to the RBI Governor and officials on the matter and assured Surya that the government would do everything to protect the interests of the depositors and in the long-term interest of the bank.
The RBI had directed that from the close of business on January 10 "a sum not exceeding Rs 35,000 of the total balance in every savings bank or current account or any other deposit account by whatever name called, may be allowed to be withdrawn by a depositor."
According to sources, RBI's restriction was because the bank had seen a default of Rs 350 crore on loans over the past three months.
I want to assure all depositors of Sri Guru Raghavendra Co-operative Bank to not panic.
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) January 13, 2020
Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman is appraised of matter & is personally monitoring the issue. She has assured Govt will protect interests of depositors. Grateful for her concern. pic.twitter.com/pmoAcUFAu7
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Congress Corporator's daughter stabbed to death inside college campus in Hubballi
Hubballi (Karnataka), Apr 18: The daughter of a Congress Corporator was stabbed to death by her acquaintance inside BVB college campus here on Thursday after she allegedly rejected his proposal, police said.
The deceased Neha (23), the daughter of Niranjan Hiremath, was a first-year MCA student, they said.
The accused 23-year-old Fayaz, an MCA dropout, has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said, adding that both of them were batchmates during their BCA course.
The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera.
According to the police, Fayaz went inside the college campus with a knife and stabbed Neha five-six times. During the attack, he too sustained injuries and was shifted to the hospital along with the victim. At the hospital, Neha was declared brought dead.
ALSO READ: Double murder in B'luru park: Mother of woman stabbed to death kills daughter's murderer
"During interrogation, he (Fayaz) claimed that the two of them had been in a relationship and that she had suddenly started avoiding him. It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately," a senior police officer said.
A case of murder has been registered, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
Narrating about the incident, Neha's father Hiremath said that his daughter had classes from 8 am. At around 4.30 pm, when she stepped out after completing her classes, this person approached towards her and stabbed her nearly six times inside the college campus and she died on the spot.
"He (the accused) was an old student and he had proposed my daughter but she rejected his proposal. She did not like him and she usually stayed away from all this...She refused him saying they both belonged to different caste and that she did not wish to have any relationship with him. Out of anger, he stabbed my daughter," he told PTI videos.
Demanding justice for her daughter, he said that the accused should he hanged to death only then will his daughter's soul rest in peace.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the incident and offered condolences to the family of the deceased.
"An accused has already been arrested in connection with the incident and I have instructed the Director General of Police to conduct a strict investigation and take action to ensure maximum punishment for the accused," he said in a post on 'X'.
He also appealed to people to not take law into their hands.
"In connection with the incident, no one should get agitated and take law into their hands or attempt to disturb peace of the society. It is our duty to get justice for the death of the young woman, in this regard the police department will work hard," he added.
