LAMKA, October 4: ATM booths located at Lamka in CCpur and its vicinity are reportedly under siege by security forces with the public forced to wait for their turns after security personnel have used the ATM.

Out of the 5 ATM booths in CCpur town, only two are normally found working/ servicing half the time. While using the remaining booths, members of the public have complained of harassment by the security men who are ironically posted to guard the ATM booths.

One press person said that while he was at the SBI’S ATM booth at Mualkoi STC/BSF, to collect his salary, he was not able to draw the same as the security man of Havildar rank present kept to use various ATM cards. "By the time he came out, the money at the ATM was already exhausted," he said.

The next day the situation was no better, for when the same person went to the SBI ATM booth at Tiddim Road, another security person in plainsclothes and in a drunken state broke up the queue and made his way inside the ATM repeatedly.

Many ATM users are also complaining of official apathy to redress their problem of banking in CCpur particularly with regard to the use of ATM facilities.

[Imphal Free Press]