NAVJOT DUBEY
JAMMU: With alarming increase in bank robberies across the State post demonetization, the glaring lapse of inadequate security has rattled the administration, as also law enforcing agencies. Majority of rural banks lack proper security arrangements including closed-circuit television CCTV cameras, alarms and security guards, thus rendering these as soft target for robbers.
Sources said that rural banks are mostly situated in the villages and sub urban areas, 40-60 kilometers far from district headquarters. They informed that on an average bank have staff of 2- 6 persons including officers.
They added that as per present pattern, one ‘unarmed’ personal from private security agency remains deployed at big business branches of J&K Grameen Bank for security but due to shortage of regular staff guards are performing peon’s duty sans safety.
Sources also informed that rural banks have not installed CCTV cameras and security alarms.
They further added that for safety of hard earns people’s money, banks rely on its vault and lockers establish inside the bank to store cash.
Sources further added that due to paucity of cash vans every bank manages to collect cash for district headquarters on its own risk.
“In Jammu district van collects cash from Town Hall branch of J&K Bank and then deposits it in Grameen Bank headquarters at Narwal, from where every manager has to carry cash for his branch at own risk,” a Manager of rural bank said on anonymity.
“Business limit of J&K Grameen branches vary from Rs 5 lakh to 60 lakh depending upon the location of unit and branch official has to travel with huge cash in rural and isolated areas of Rajouri-Poonch, Doda-Kishtwar and even Kashmir which is quit risky,” he added.
When contacted Ajay Nanda, Minister of State for Finance and Planning said, “Absence of security personals and CCTVs are grave security lapse and our government understands this”.
“We are aware of the problem and soon call a meeting to review situation of banks in Kashmir as well as Jammu,'” Nanda said, adding, “We will equip every business unit with armed security guards as well as up-to date technological security equipments as CCTVs in near future to curb the incidents of robbery”.
Earlier, masked gunmen looted around Rs. 11 lakh from a branch of J&K Bank in Ratnipore area of Pulwama district
Following the demonetisation drive, this is the fifth bank in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been looted.
Earlier on December 8, gunmen looted over Rs. 8 lakh from the same bank in south Kashmir.
Again in November, suspected militants robbed a bank in the state in Chrar-e-Sharief area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district. The robbers reportedly left with Rs. 13 lakh cash.
On November 23 burglars successfully looted Rs 34 lakh from a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank located in Agral Sarthal village, Kishtwar.
On December 10 burglars made an unsuccessful attempt of loot and broke the wall of a J&K Grameen Bank located in Sialsui village of Kalakote Rajouri.
