Family on its way to hospital meets with accident; 2 killed, 2 others critical

Bengaluru, Jan 14: Assuring depositors that their money was "100 per cent safe" with the bank, Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank Chairman K Ramakrishna in Bengaluru on Monday said 62 loans had locked up Rs 300 crore of deposit.

"Your money is 100 per cent safe with Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank. It's my responsibility," Ramakrishna said at Sri Guru Narasimha Kalyanamandira auditorium, to assure depositors.

He was addressing angry customers of the bank at a public hearing. Due to the 62 dud loans, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had restricted the lender from executing business, Ramakrishna said amid shouting by depositors. The RBI has limited withdrawals by depositors to Rs 35,000.

"The bank is saying I can't withdraw more than Rs 35,000. In case of our fixed deposit maturing, we will have to renew it as we can't encash it, " said Nagaraj M, 49, who has been dealing with the bank for the past six years.

To assuage customers, the call to an assistant commissioner of police by Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya -- not present -- was relayed on loudspeaker live and the MP claimed that he had spoken to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to help the customers.

Ramakrishna said he would meet customers again on January 19 with all the details and numbers. Dramatic scenes and pandemonium ruled the auditorium before his arrival. Thousands of bank customers threatened to go en masse to the police station and file a case against Ramakrishna.

As he addressed the gathering in Kannada, hundreds of depositors shouted back at him seeking clarifications. At the auditorium, thousands of depositors earlier demanded the bank chairman's presence to clarify the matter.

The lender had invited depositors to the auditorium at 6 p.m. to update them on the bank's status, following a RBI directive restricting the bank from doing business with immediate effect.

"We want the bank's directors here," shouted a depositor from the stage. A handful of policemen were trying to control the crowd and bring order to the assembly. Many elderly and retired persons had arrived to know the fate of their savings. Several women were also present at the meeting.

"It was a good bank with only 0.5 per cent NPAs. Now we can't trust any bank. See what happened with the PMC Bank," said another customer.

Shankar Sharma, 38, an employee of a private company, said majority of depositors were senior citizens and retirees. "I don't have an account with the bank, but my mother, uncle, aunt have deposited money in it. I came for them, " said Sharma. He said many of the bank's 35,000 clientele deposited more than Rs 5 lakh, which had total deposits of Rs 1,600 crore. The bank started operations in 1999.

Ramakrishna was escorted away to safety by the police after his speech even as the depositors were screaming and agitating for justice.

Kalaburagi, Jun 16: Stones were pelted by villagers at an ambulance and a vehicle of health department at Tanda village here, which was fetching 15 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 to a hospital for treatment.

"A medical team along with some police personnel had gone to the Tanda village to bring 15 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 to a hospital for treatment on Monday," Lada Martin Marbaniang, Superintendent of Police (SP) Kalaburagi said.

"The medical team had an argument with villagers, which turned violent and those people started pelting stones at the ambulance and a vehicle of the health department," the SP said.

"On getting information, we rushed more security forces to the village. I visited the spot and spoke to a few leaders. Subsequently, we were able to convince them and all of them were brought to the hospital. A case has been registered against violent offenders," he added.

Kalaburagi, Apr 25: In order to make people aware about the precautionary steps required to be taken in order to contain the spread of coronavirus, Muslim clerics here are making announcements from mosques after 'Azaan' urging people to follow the government guidelines to keep infection at bay.

Speaking to news agency, Ateeq Ur Rahman Ashrafi, All India Imams Council Karnataka's state president, said, "Under our council, there are around 80 mosques and after Azaan we are spreading awareness about COVID-19. I also appeal to other mosques to make such announcements and follow government guidelines."

This year, due to the spread of the virus, Muslim clerics have requested people to offer prayers inside their homes and avoid any kind of social gathering.

The country is under lockdown till May 3. All religious places including mosques have been closed to stop the transmission of the highly contagious virus.