It may sound bizarre but it is true that a woman delivered a child while standing in a queue to withdraw cash in front of Punjab National Bank in Jhinjhak area of Kanpur Dehat district.
Women customers helped Sarvesha Devi, a resident of Sardarpur Ke Majra Shahpur Dera, deliver the male child, her fifth, on the premises of the bank.
The bank officials later apprised local police, who then rushed them to the Jhinjhak community health centre (CHC).
A senior bank official told TOI that Sarvesha Devi, who had come to withdraw Rs 5,000 for depositing the instalment of Lohia Awas loan, was standing in the queue since 11 am. “Her mother-in-law Shashi Devi had brought her to the bank despite her pregnancy ,” he said.
He added that as soon as Sarvesha went into labour, the locals called the `108′ ambulance service run by the state government. But as labour pains became unbearable, the women customers surrounded her and helped her deliver the baby inside the bank,” he said.
“The woman gave birth to the child at around 3.45 pm while the bank was flooded with customers. Both the woman and the child are admitted to the Jhinjhak CHC. Doctors said their condition is stable,” he said.
“The sad part of the story is that the woman had lost her husband, Jasmernath, about three months ago following prolonged illness.”
“Bank customers informed me that a woman had gone into labour while standing in queue for cash. As soon as I rushed to the spot, I found that the woman had delivered,” manager of Punjab National Bank, Jhinjhak branch, S K Chaudhary said.
Rajveer, a local who was at the queue at the time, said that long queues are everyday affair at banks and ATMs in the district since demonetisation.”The scarcity of cash has been brought to the notice of bank officers, but they have paid no heed. Old and sick people are forced to stand in long queues,” said Rajveer.
