Patanjali helps 120-year-old woman who had to be dragged on cot by daughter to Odisha bank

Patanjali Ayurved has come to the rescue of the 120-year-old woman from Odisha, who was dragged on a cot by her 70-year-old daughter to the bank for physical verification. According to ANI, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev asked Patanjali workers in Odisha to visit the old woman's residence and help them after the news went viral.

Patanjali team provided them with ration

A team led by Bharat Swabhiman's Dr Sudarshan reached the woman's Baragan village under Khariar block of Nuapada district and helped them complete verification for pension and provided her one-month pension amount. The team also provided them ration (rice, lentil, potato, oil, soap etc) and kit of ayurvedic, medicines which "are helpful in boosting immunity" against COVID-19. 

They also presented sarees to mother and daughter and also distributed it to other women in the village. The centenarian identified as Labhe Baghel was dragged by her daughter on a cot all the way to the bank for withdrawal of her pension after the bank sought physical verification of the account holder.

'Inhuman act'

"I strongly condemn this inhuman act. I request the government to immediately investigate the matter," said Raju Dholkia, MLA Nuapada district.

READ | Odisha: Rare trinket snake found in wall crack, rescued with help of animal rescuer

The elderly woman had sent her daughter, Gunja Dei (70), to the bank to withdraw Rs 1,500 from her pension account. The bank official, however, allegedly refused to release the pension money and demanded physical verification of the account holder at the bank premises.

READ | Odisha: Senior citizen forced to drag 120-year-old mother to bank for pension withdrawal

With no option left, Gunja Dei, a senior citizen herself, dragged her bedridden mother to the bank. As soon as Gunja Dei along with her mother reached the bank, the official, seeing the condition of both the women released the pension money. After a video capturing the incident went viral, local MLA from Khariar, Adhiraj Panigrahi, slammed the bank officials and demand strict action against them.

READ | Odisha to conduct door-to-door health screening for Coronavirus symptoms as cases rise

To enquire into the matter, Regional Manager of Utkal Gramya Bank on Sunday reached Bargaon with local MLA Panigrahi  "Bank officials had been bothering the old lady for the last three months. The official flouted all laws and this act is against basic human rights. People should get their rights. I condemn this act and people responsible behind this should be removed from their post. These acts can be seen across various districts in Odisha," said Panigrahi.

READ | Naveen Patnaik talks to Lakshmi Mittal; ArcelorMittal to invest Rs 2,000 crore in Odisha

(With ANI inputs)