PMC Bank crisis: Fourth death 83-year-old unable to pay for surgery

Agencies
October 19, 2019

Mumbai, Oct 19: An 83-year-old depositor of the troubled PMC Bank died on Friday, with his family claiming that they could not raise money for his heart surgery after restrictions were imposed on fund withdrawals.

This is a fourth incident of the death of a depositor of the Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative Bank after the RBI appointed administrator on the city-headquartered lender.

Two of the depositors had died of cardiac arrest, while another, a woman doctor, allegedly committed suicide.

Murlidhar Dharra (83) died at his home in suburban Mulund on Friday, his son Prem Dharra told news agency.

The family had a total of Rs 80 lakh in deposits with the bank (which was placed under restrictions since September 24), he said.

Doctors had recommended heart surgery for his father, but they could not arrange the money as the deposits are stuck at the bank, Prem said.

It can be noted that under the RBI directions, exceptions can be made for medical emergencies. It was not known immediately whether the PMC Bank refused a request from the family under this provision.

After an alleged Rs 4,355 crore scam came to light at the bank, the RBI initially capped withdrawals at Rs 1,000 in view of liquidity crisis, and later hiked it to Rs 40,000 in three moves.

The depositors have been protesting over the last three weeks, seeking their money back.

On Tuesday, 51-year-old Sanjay Gulati, who had recently lost his job with Jet Airways when the airline was grounded, died of a heart attack hours after attending a depositors' protest.

It was followed by alleged suicide of Dr Nivedita Bijlani, and death of Mulund-resident Fatto Punjabi due to cardiac arrest.

The crisis at the bank is being attributed to loans given to realty player HDIL, which were allegedly hidden from regulators' scrutiny, turning non-performing assets.

Five persons, including HDIL promoters, have been arrested in the case.

Comments

INDIAN
 - 
Saturday, 19 Oct 2019

now you want hindutva country...then vote for modi and die.

 

am very sad that one innocent human died...this man made money for his last life but the money never helped him..

 

Politician say vote for BJP we will save hindu people, but in reallity they say lie and make you belive that muslim is your enemy.

 

In mangalore most hindus & muslims are good people they cooperate each other in all scenerio but please dont belive in political guy who use you only for his power and money to feed his family..

 

 

 

 

 

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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