70-year-old dies while filling up withdrawal form at bank

A 70-year-old farmer collapsed and died while filling up a withdrawal form at a public sector bank near Papanasam in the district, police said on Sunday.

A 70-year-old farmer collapsed and died while filling up a withdrawal form at a public sector bank near Papanasam in the district, police said on Sunday.

An elderly man squats on the pavement as he waits in a queue to deposit and exchange discontinued currency notes outside a bank in New Delhi. (AP Photo)

The incident happened on Saturday when M Subramanian, from Vaazhkai village near Papanasam, had gone to the bank with his wife. As he was filling up the form, he suddenly collapsed. A senior bank official said some staffers tried to administer first aid and customers rushed to offer help. An employee offered him some water, but he did not respond, he said.

An ambulance service was called, and on arrival a doctor pronounced Subramanian dead, he said.

The bank official said the farmer was a long-time customer and had come to the bank last week also when there was a crowd.

“Yesterday, he came at 10.23 am and collapsed at 10.25 am itself. He was not standing in the queue. He collapsed when he was filling up the form,” the official said.

A senior police officer said it was “natural death” and hence no case was registered.

“We have not registered a case since it is death due to natural causes. Nobody gave any complaint. The body was later taken to his home town and cremated in the evening,” the officer said.