Note Ban: 70-Yr-Old Farmer Dies Waiting in Bank Queue in Thanjavur

Demonetisation has caused multiple deaths of people waiting in lines at banks.

Voters stand in a queue in a polling centre as central paramilitary forces keep vigil during by-election in Barjala constituency, West Tripura district on 19 November 2016. (Photo: IANS)

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

The incident happened on Saturday when M Subramanian, from Vaazhkai village near Papanasam, had come to the bank with his wife.

As he was filling the challan, he suddenly collapsed, they said. 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 checked Subramanian and pronounced him 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 heavy 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 the challan," said the official.

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

"We have not registered a case since it is death due to natural causes. Nobody lodged any complaint. The body was later taken to his hometown and cremated in the evening," the officer, who did not wish to be named, said.

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj