JAYAKUMAR MADALA By

Express News Service

PUDUKKOTTAI: The protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Act took a novel turn on Wednesday as protesters queued up in front of two nationalised bank branches in Karambakudi to withdraw money from their accounts.

A sum of Rs 55 lakh was withdrawn from Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank in hours as hundreds of protesters, including women, trooped to branches.

Having run out of cash, branch managers were rattled trying to convince those in the queue.

The queue in front of the Indian Bank was the longest of the two branches. Many of the customers held placards announcing that it was the ‘cash withdrawing protest’ against the CAA.

Those in the queue displayed passbooks and documents besides raising slogans against CAA. According to officials, at least Rs 40 lakh was withdrawn from.

“Several hundreds came together seeking to either to withdraw money from their accounts or closing term deposits. Several accounts were empty by the end of the day including a customer closing a term deposit of Rs 9.5 lakh,” sources said.

Higher officials of Indian Overseas Bank came down to the village to handle the situation.