Bengaluru: Long serpentine queues of people in front of banks and post offices may lead to a law and order problem with the financial institutions running out of cash, especially currency notes of Rs 100 denomination.
"There is shortage of currency at banks and post offices and the ATMs are likely to be replenished not before Saturday. People are getting desperate and some of them may inadvertently indulge in vandalizing public property in banks and post offices to vent their angst," said an official source.
The Postal Department has sought police protection of its post offices in the City anticipating trouble from people, who are getting desperate to exchange the denotified currency notes. We are monitoring the situation closely. It may not be possible for the department to deploy police personnel at every bank and post office. We have asked them to hire private security personnel on a temporary basis to protect their premises till the situation eases out," said an officer on condition of anonymity.
According to sources the Home Ministry has instructed all the states and Union Territories to provide security to banks and post offices till there's liquidity in the market. "The situation in the cities is bad. It is worse in villages, where the number of banks and post offices are much less and hardly any ATMs," he added.
