In the backdrop of the disappearance of gold worth around ₹4.07 crore from the State Bank of India branch of Gara, Srikakulam district, officials of the SBI took a series of measures to instill confidence among the customers in the branch.
They held meetings with the customers and said that such incident had never occurred anywhere in India, while adding that the bank would take complete responsibility to return the jewellery pledged with the bank. The customers who have been agitating for the last few days maintained restraint on Saturday, with the assurances coming from the bank’s senior executives.
The service manager Swapna Priya, who was allegedly involved in the missing of the 86 bags containing gold ornaments, which were pledged by the customers, from November 17, 2023, had reportedly ended her life on November 29.
In this background, the senior officials visited the branch and interacted with the customers. They said that 26 bags were recovered and the other 60 would also be brought back with the support of the police officials. In a press release, SBI Deputy General Manager Pankaj Kumar assured that the bank would protect the interests of the customers and there was no need to worry as the bank had taken all the steps to recover the ornaments.
He said that the customers who would repay their gold loans would be given back their ornaments within no time. He thanked the customers who reposed faith in the bank and cooperated with the officials and staff while assuring that no customer would be put to hardship or loss. Meanwhile, the police officials have taken up the investigation after receiving a complaint from SBI Regional Manager T.R.M. Raju.
