Bankers’ body urges Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to make banks safe from attacks

'The disgraceful acts have instilled fear and insecurity among the bank staff, who now find it increasingly difficult to serve the public under such hostile conditions,' the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) said in a letter.

Mumbai: Amid back to back incidents of manhandling of banking staff in Maharashtra, an association of the bank employees have shot off a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and sought adequate security in banks across the state.

In the letter, the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has referred to the cases in Jalna and Beed, in Marathwada region, in July and August, respectively.

"We request that adequate security measures be implemented across all bank branches, particularly in rural areas, to protect the lives of bank staff and safeguard public property,” UFBU convenor Devidas Tuljapurkar said.

While one incident was reported from Sandile in Jafrabad taluka in Jalna, another was reported from Wadwani in Beed.

“The disgraceful acts have instilled fear and insecurity among the bank staff, who now find it increasingly difficult to serve the public under such hostile conditions. It has been a real and pressing concern that such incidents have become more frequent and bankers, despite being easy targets of such goons, are obeying duties under constant threat of life threat,” he said.

"We are confident that the matter will be dealt in accordance with the established law, not only with intention to deliver justice but also to restore and uphold the confidence of the bank staff serving in Maharashtra State, especially in rural areas, often under challenging conditions. Furthermore, we request that adequate security measures be implemented across all bank branches, particularly in rural areas, to protect the lives of bank staff and safeguard public property,” the UFBU convenor said.

“The public sector banks, especially in rural regions, have consistently supported farmers and worked tirelessly for their betterment and financial progress. Such unwarranted attacks on our staff undermine these efforts and threaten the very fabric of our commitment to the rural populace,” Tuljapurkar added.

In their appeal, the bank employees said, “We trust that these matters will be dealt with utmost seriousness and ensure that prompt and strict action is taken against the culprits. We look forward to your immediate intervention to ensure that bank officials can continue to provide uninterrupted service to our customers without fear.”