SBI official remains untraced
SHILLONG/TURA: With Arvind Kumar, the abducted SBI official of Ampati — the home constituency of the Chief Minister– remaining untraced, two bank associations have announced a day-long strike on June 19 in the entire Garo Hills to put pressure on the kidnappers to release him.
The bank bodies have also threatened to continue its strike if the bank official is not released even as it made an appeal to the customers to bear with them.
In a statement issued jointly by the SBI officers association and SBI staff association, Tura region on Tuesday said that they had a meeting with the members serving in the branches at Tura on Tuesday.
The members expressed anguish over the abduction and asked the kidnappers to release him (Kumar) unharmed.
“The employees of SBI, Garo Hills have decided to go for a strike on June 19 with the possibility of the strike continuing to a further period”, the association leaders said while appealing the citizens of Garo Hills to cooperate with them.
‘Sense of insecurity prevails in Ampati’
Meanwhile, Tura MP PA Sangma, while condemning the kidnapping of Kumar, said that if kidnapping can happen in the constituency of the Chief Minister of Meghalaya “then how can people of the state feel safe”.
He also expressed concern over the plight of people in Garo Hills since kidnapping and violent incidents are the order of the day especially in Ampati, the home constituency of the Chief Minister.
Earlier on June 8, an auto rickshaw driver identified as Surendar Paul was shot dead by militants in Ampati after he refused to give them a ride.
Meanwhile, the Bankers’ Club, Tura has condemned the abduction of Kumar.
“We appeal to the abductors to immediately release him as Bank Officials from different Banks are deputed to Garo Hills for its development and to render service to the people. Such incidents will only deter people from working in Garo Hills and it is the people of Garo Hills who stand to lose,” it said in a statement.
Moreover, the Officer’s fraternity of State Bank of India , Shillong Region also appealed for the safe release of the bank official .
“The whole State Bank family along with the family of Arvind Kumar comprising of his aged parents , wife and an infant are shocked at this unfortunate incident. We , the officer’s fraternity of State Bank of India take pride in serving the general public of not only the difficult terrain of Garo Hills but also the entire North-Eastern states leaving behind our families at distant places”, the officers said in a statement.
According to the officers, the unfortunate incident has not only demoralized them, but also cast a shadow on their willingness to serve whole heartedly the local populace.