Delhi man dies of heart attack while waiting in bank queue

New Delhi, Nov 17: A 48-year-old man died today allegedly after he suffered heart attack while standing in line for over eight hours to exchange now-defunct notes for new ones even as banks and ATMs continued to be crowded by hassled Delhiites eight days after the demonetisation move.

Saud Ur Rehman, a resident of Old Delhi, became unwell while standing at a queue outside a bank in Lal Kuan and was rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital where he died.

"Rehman had been visiting bank for the last two days. He would reach the branch around 5 AM and wait for hours in queue, but by the time his turn would come, either the bank went out of cash or the counters closed.

"Today also he was standing in the queue for a long. I got a call from him around 11.45 AM and he told me that he was feeling unwell. I immediately reached the spot. I took him to the hospital where he died around 1 PM. Doctors said he died because of the strain, lack of rest and proper food," a family member, Siraj Ahamad, claimed.

Police, however, denied having received any such information.Dr J C Passey, medical director of the hospital refused the comment on the matter.

Eight day since the demonetisation of high value currency notes, Delhiites' woes seem to have no end as they waited for cash in long queues at banks and ATM and struggled to pay for basic necessities.

People's patience ran thin as the ATMs ran out of cash. "I waited for two hours in queue to withdraw Rs 2,500 and it (the ATM) ran out of cash when my turn was about to come.

"ATMs don't have cash, banks have endless queues too. How do we manage? It is not frustrating to wait in line but not getting money even after that," said Rishika Bajaj, a TCS employee.

The queues at Mother Dairy and other cooperative stores where old currency notes are being accepted till November 24 were also long and people were seen buying the products in bulk.

At various hospitals in the city, patients and their family members faced inconvenience in buying medicines, food and availing transportation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and had said new currency notes will be introduced.

Banks had been instructed to work extra hours and even over the weekend to deal with the massive rush.

People are not only having a harrowing time withdrawing cash but also commuting by autos and rickshaws and paying for necessities like grocery and milk.