Fake Rs10 coin rumour creates panic in Nurpur

Rajiv Mahajan

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Nurpur, March 16

The rumour about the circulation of fake Rs 10 coins has created panic among vendors, shopkeepers and wholesalers in Nurpur, Jawali and Fatehpur.

The vendors and traders are not accepting even the original coins. This has created a lot of problems for residents who have no idea what to do with the coins. Even bus conductors are not taking the coins.

Des Raj of Ganghi-Lagor village, who runs a wholesale confectionery shop in the village, said he counted the coins that he had and the amount turned out to be Rs 30,000. Brij Mohan Dhawan of Nurpur, who runs a grocery shop, said he had Rs 20,000 while Kartar Chand, a bakery shop owner, said he had Rs 15,000.

The shopkeepers said they had stopped accepting the coins as wholesalers were not taking the same. Sham Lal, a vegetable vendor, said commission agents in the Sabzi Mandi at Jassur (Nurpur) were not ready to take the coins. This has led to resentment among the people, who approached Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank and Kangra Central Cooperative Bank, Nupur. The bank authorities said they had received no such communication, terming the circulation of fake coins a rumour.

The RBI today asked the people not to entertain such rumours, asking traders and shopkeepers to accept the coins. The bank issued a statement saying it had been reported that some persons who suspected the genuineness of such coins were creating confusion among traders and shopkeepers, impeding the circulation of the coins in certain pockets of the country.