Tamil Nadu youth pays Rs 2.5 lakh in one rupee coins to get his dream bike
Banks strike forces him to begin converting those coins to currency notes
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.
In Tamil Nadu’s Salem, V Bhoopathi, a 29-year-old, bought a bike worth Rs 2.5 lakh, paying the price in Rs 1 coins. The dealer took 10 hours to count the cash. In visuals, Bhoopathi with the bike and coins. @TheQuint pic.twitter.com/nr1DgPxq9t
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Make polling hours 6am-7pm for May 7 LS polls, Karnataka BJP urges EC citing heatwave
Bengaluru, May 3: Citing the ongoing heatwave in the state, Karnataka BJP on Friday petitioned the Election Commission with a request to modify the polling hours to the 6am-7pm period in the 14 parliamentary constituencies in the state that goes to polls on May 7.
Polling is currently scheduled to be held in the second phase in the state in 14 segments in the northern districts between 7am to 6pm on May 7.
"It has become hard to come out and vote between hours 10.00 to 17.00 due to uncontrollable heat. The average heat in those parts (north Karnataka) covering 14 parliamentary constituencies are between 37 and 42 degree (Celsius). The mercury is rising at an alarming level and it would become hard for the electors to come out and vote," BJP's petition said.
The petition highlighted the alarming rise in temperatures, which are expected to go beyond 40 degree Celsius, and also stated that the number of voters over the age of 40 is high and that they are vulnerable to the heatwave.
"To keep up the good spirit of voting, necessary action should be taken," the BJP petition urged the Election Commission, saying, "In this background, it is requested to modify the time of voting in the 14 parliamentary constituencies from 06.00 to 19.00 hours on May 7".
Polling was held between 7 am and 6 pm during Karnataka's first phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies on April 26.
