Meanwhile, another queue death

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 8

A 48-year-old woman died after she was allegedly pushed by a guard outside a Punjab National Bank branch on the Shingar Cinema road today. The victim had gone there to withdraw cash. 

The road leading to Samrala chowk remained blocked for hours after her family along with hundreds of residents kept the body outside the bank in protest.

Asha Rani of Charan Nagar on Tibba road had been unable to withdraw cash since Monday owing to rush or lack of cash, claimed son Parvinder.

“On Wednesday, bank officials gave her a token with the assurance that she would get cash the next day without having to stand in the queue. This morning, she again had to join the queue. As she was about to enter the premises, a guard allegedly pushed her away. She fell down and became unconscious,” alleged Parvinder.

Family members took her to a private hospital but the doctors refused to admit her. At CMC , the doctors declared her brought dead.

Agitated kin brought the body back to the bank and blocked the  road, demanding action against the bank manager and the guard. A posse of police was deployed, even as protesters tried to ransack the bank.

 Two years ago, the victim had lost her husband in an electrocution incident. Her daughter’s wedding was scheduled for February.