Get escort while withdrawing money from Panchkula banks

PANCHKULA - In the wake of increasing incidents of daylight snatchings and robberies, police have decided to provide security cover to people withdrawing Rs.200,000 or above from any bank here.

Although a similar scheme, in which a person can seek escort while withdrawing Rs.100,000 or more from the bank, was also launched in June 2008 but it was soon scrapped due to lukewarm public response. As till January 2009, only five people had availed of that scheme.

“The procedure for seeking security cover is very simple. The applicant needs to fill a form and submit it at the police station of his area or at the police headquarters. Two armed guards will be provided to him when he goes go to bank to withdraw money,” a police official told IANS Sunday.

“The details of the applicant will be kept secret. In the earlier scheme, launched in 2008, people had apprehensions about this information being passed on to the Income Tax department. But it is not true, we never asked about the source of income from the applicants,” he added.

Panchkula police have also decided to hold seminars at various banks and resident welfare associations to increase awareness of the scheme and to educate people about its formalities.

“It is a welcome step, but still, common man is afraid of approaching the police. And when the matter involves money, they become even more hesitant. Police have to change their attitude and image if they want full public cooperation in this initiative,” Mohinder Singh Bajwa, president of a resident welfare association said.