Even as security has been beefed up around bank branches after demonetisation of high value notes, unidentified brigands struck at a branch of Punjab National Bank in Budaun but on failing to gain access to the strong room, they chose to torch the branch in Badaun on Wednesday night.
luckily, fire tenders rushed on time and prevented any major damage to the branch. A case was registered and efforts were being made to arrest the culprits by scanning CCTV footage.
Interestingly to conceal their failure to facilitate security in banks, the local police termed it as a minor incident and did notcare to inform the senior officers including the DGP of the brazen attempt.
Reports said that the PNB branch in Islamnagar area was targeted late on Wednesday night. The brigands did not touch the high value notes and instead looked for new currency notes. As the new notes were kept in the strong room, they tried to gain entry but failed. In frustration, they set computers and other items on fire before slipping out of the branch.
Some passersby noticed smoke billowng out and informed the police after which fire tenders were rushed in.
Meanwhile, unable to buy seeds or fertilisers for the Rabi crop sowing, hundreds of farmers blocked railway traffic movement for several hours in Rampur on Thursday morning.
Several hundred members of Kisan Union collected at Rampur railway station on Thursday morning and squatted on tracks disrupting rail movement. They demanded that they be allowed to purchase seeds and fertiliser with old currency notes or the Government make new currency notes available to them at the earliest.
The police and railway officials later reached the spot and somehow defused the situation. They also accpeted their memorandum and assured to forward it to the Government for consideration.