JAMMU: Carried on his father’s shoulders for 30 km through hills and forests from Doonga village in Samba district of Jammu & Kashmir, an ailing nine-year-old died before they could reach the nearest medical facility in Mansar.
Mohammad Haroon, 28, who belongs to the nomadic Bakerwal community, said he had to walk because he had no currency notes to pay travel fare. He had Rs 29,000 in old notes but failed to exchange them in two J&K Bank branches — the managers of both branches said they would have given him the exchange had he approached them and told them of his urgency.
Â
Along the way with his son, Haroon negotiated a ride but the driver eventually refused to accept his old notes, forcing Haroon to discard the highway for a shorter route through forests.
Â
The managers of both bank branches Haroon claimed to have visited said they have had enough cash at their disposal since day 1 to cater to visitors seeking to exchange or withdraw. (Inputs from Indian Express)
|