Demonetisation: Delhi man dies while waiting in bank queue

A 49-year-old man died on Monday after he collapsed while standing in queue outside a bank to deposit Rs 50,000 in demonetised currency notes in south-west Delhi’s Najafgarh area, police said.

Satish Kumar, a resident of Uttam Nagar and who used to work as a vegetable vendor in Keshopur Mandi, collapsed outside an Oriental Bank of Commerce branch, on Najafgarh road, while he was standing in a queue with his friends.

Kumar had left his home around 11.30 in the morning and he had made a call to his wife Beena Devi around 1.30 pm telling her his turn at the bank would come in an hour, one of the deceased’s relative told police.

“The man fainted around 2.30 pm while he was in the queue outside the bank. He was rushed to Mata Chanan Devi hospital in a PCR van where he was declared dead on arrival,” said a senior police officer.

During check up, the doctors found Rs 50,000 from his pocket, the officer added.

Dr A C Shukla, Medical Superintendent of Mata Chanan Devi hospital said, “The man was brought dead to the hospital. Police said he collapsed in the queue. The cause of his death can be ascertained only after post-mortem.”

Police said they are awaiting the autopsy report following which further course of action will be decided.

Last Wednesday, a resident of Old Delhi, had died allegedly after he suffered heart attack while standing in line for over eight hours outside a bank branch in Lal Kuan.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday told the Rajya Sabha that more than 70 people have died standing in long queues at banks across the country.

Thirteen days since the demonetisation, Delhiites’ woes seem to have no end as they continue to wait for cash in long queues at banks and ATM and struggled to pay for basic necessities.

In many areas, people ran from one ATM to the other, with few managing to withdraw while the rest left dejected as machines emptied out before their turn.

At places, queues formed up within minutes of news spreading word of mouth that cash was being dispensed at a particular ATM.

“I waited for two hours in queue to withdraw Rs 2,500 and it (the ATM) ran out of cash when my turn was about to come.

“Tomorrow again I will have to stand in queue. This has become a problem,” said 58-year-old Ram Kumar, a resident of Mayur Vihar.

Mother Dairy and other cooperative stores where old currency notes are being accepted till November 24 were also crowded as people were seen buying the products in bulk.

People are not only having a harrowing time withdrawing cash but also commuting by autos and rickshaws and paying for necessities like grocery and milk.

Image: A man sits in a queue to deposit or exchange his old high denomination banknotes outside a bank. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters