Salem(PTI): After the initial euphoria of buying his dream bike at a whopping Rs 2.50 lakh in one rupee coins, 29 year-old Bhoopathi from Salem in Tamil Nadu is now busy converting the coins back to currency notes, owing to the bank strike underway as part of the call given by various trade unions against certain Central policies.

He has been approached by a few hotels expressing keenness to accept the coins in exchange for currency notes, he claimed.

"I had assured the bike showroom manager I would take responsibility to convert the one rupee coins to currency notes in case of any difficulty. Due to the ongoing bank strike, it appears I have to convert them to currency notes," he told PTI.

Within a day he had managed to convert 40,000 one rupee coins into currency notes and claims it would not be difficult to convert up to Rs 2 lakh.

"Oh yes, as it is buzzing in everyone's mind, it appeared weird to me too, initially," Bhoopathy exclaims with a laugh, as to why he chose to produce one rupee coins to buy a popular 400 CC motorcycle.

The way in which he brought the coins in a wheelbarrow caught the attention of many in the social media on Monday.

"Of course, I thought it would be a better idea to pay in one rupee coins as I found it difficult to acquire five rupee coins with which I commenced to save," Bhoopathy, a youtuber, said.

He had first saved Rs 10,000 in multiple currency notes and later took pains over the course of four years, depending on hotels, banks and brokers to convert all his savings to one rupee coins. "I withdrew my money from the ATM and converted them," he adds.

He had narrowed down on a showroom in Salem after the manager said he has the vehicle the Youtuber desired for.

"I convinced him to accept the one rupee coins and even assured to take the responsibility to convert them back to currency notes if he faced any difficulty," Bhoopathy, who works as a computer operator of a private firm, said.

The showroom manager Mahavikranth said Bhoopathy's proposal was rather strange "but I didn't want to disappoint him."

"Normally, banks levy a cash handling charge of Rs 140 for Rs one lakh in 2000 denomination. This is practically impossible owing to the bank strike and in all probability of bankers declining to accept one rupee coins," the manager said.

Finally, when Bhoopathy agreed to ferry the coin bags in a minivan to the bank, the manager decided to sell him the bike for Rs 2.5 lakh (in addition to the balance sum of Rs 10,000), a day ago.

"It took nearly 8 hours to count the coins with the help of 12 persons including the staff and my well-wishers," Mahavikranth said.

Bhoopathy's joy knew no bounds when he rode the the vehicle. Videos of the man filling up bags with coins and ferrying them in wheelbarrow and counting the coins have gone viral in the social media.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Lucknow, Apr 4 (PTI): Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya scalped his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket in an inspiring bowling performance but Lucknow Super Giants rode on superb half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram to post 203 for 8 in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday.

Pandya returned with magnificent figures of 5/36, taking the wickets of Markram (53 off 38 balls), Nicholas Pooran (12), Rishabh Pant (2), David Miller (27) and Akash Deep (0), putting brakes on LSG's innings after the home team was put in to bat.

LSG were off to a great start with opener Marsh hitting his third half-century in four matches. His 60 came off just 31 balls and was studded with nine fours and two sixes.

With the other opener Markram also in good nick, LSG were 69 for no loss at the end of power play. But MI came back after that with Pandya making crucial bowling changes.

Left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, who had starred in MI's win over Chennai Super Kings, was introduced in the seventh over and he gave the breakthrough immediately. He had Marsh caught and bowled, breaking the dangerous-looking opening stand of 76 runs.

Pandya then brought himself into action and had Pooran in the ninth over before getting the prized wicket of LSG captain Pant (2) who got out cheaply once again.

Substitute fielder Corbin Bosch took a fine catch at the mid-off after Pant failed to negotiate a slower ball off Pandya. Pant, who faced six balls, continued his poor form, having scored 0, 15, 2 in his three earlier innings.

LSG were 107 for 3 in 10.4 overs when Pant was out.

Markram, who had been ordinary so far, stood up for his team and held one end together till he was out in the 18th over.

Earlier, Deepak Chahar gave away 15 runs in the second over with Marsh hitting two fours and Markram getting a boundary.

Marsh was on fire as he punished Trent Boult with two clean hits -- one yielding a six and another a four.

The Australian did not spare Mitchell Santner, hitting two fours off the Kiwi bowler and then gave young Indian left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar, who had starred in MI's previous match, the same treatment.

He hit Kumar for a six and a four in consecutive balls in the sixth over to reach to his fifty off just 27 balls. Kumar bled 23 runs in that over.

MI stalwart and India captain Rohit Sharma, who had struggled in the three matches he had played so far, missed out the match as he was hit on knees at the nets.

Brief scores:

Lucknow Super Giants: 203 for 8 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 60, Aiden Markram 53, Ayush Badoni 30, David Miller 27; Hardik Pandya 5/36).