Demonetisation: ‘Stressed’ bank employee, ‘tired’ customer die in Maharashtra

While demonetisation has everyone worried, two people — a bank peon and a customer standing in a queue to exchange notes — in the state lost their lives in two separate incidents while dealing with it

While demonetisation has everyone worried, two people — a bank peon and a customer standing in a queue to exchange notes — in the state lost their lives in two separate incidents while dealing with it.

The deceased bank peon’s colleagues said all of them have been working almost 18 hours every day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the demonetisation announcement. (HT Photo for Representation)

Tukaram Genu Tanpure, 53, a bank peon, died of massive cardiac arrest in Rajgurunagar branch of State Bank of India situated on Pune-Nashik Highway. His colleagues said Tanpure complained of chest pains in the afternoon when branch was crowded and all the bank employees were stressed dealing with the rush, said a colleague. Bank employees and customers rushed him to the nearest private hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. His body will be handed over to his family after postmortem.

Tanpure, a resident of Pimpri, used to commute almost 150 kms every day to go to work. His colleagues said all of them have been working almost 18 hours every day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the demonetisation announcement. The deceased too had been working on average 12 hours in addition to the commuting time.

In another incident in Nanded in Marathwada region, 60-year-old Digambar Kasbe died in a similar manner. Kasbe, a resident of Belapur village, had come to exchange notes in Nanded. He was standing in queue since morning and was tired. He then suddenly fainted around noon. Other customers took him to the hospital but he died before any medical treatment could be given. His body has been taken to government hospital for postmortem.

Similar incident was reported in Mumbai when a 73-year-old citizen died in the queue.