THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, July 16: A locker row has gripped the main Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Daltonganj. The issue has reached the police and an investigation is on. The PNB is all sure to pass the test of the safety of the lockers.
The complaint is gold contents of the locker are ‘missing’. It is worth 85 lakh plus as claimed by the locker holder, said the town police.
The locker was under the rightful authorisation of a single person (holder). Its key was with the holder.
Under the RBI guidelines, only authorised holder or holders whose names and specimen signatures are preserved in the system of the bank can operate the locker and none else, even if any other person walks into the bank with the key. Again key of the locker is not to be shared at all, like the ATM card where a friend shares the PIN with a friend or a daughter or mother. Locker operation is more guarded and well supervised.
Also Read- Centre likely to table key reform bills in Parliament’s Monsoon Session
Locker Last Used in 2016; Break-Open in 2025 Revealed It Empty
It’s true that a locker holder operates locker once in a while, unlike operating savings accounts or current accounts.
But if a locker is tried to be operated after almost 9 years, the time lapse is bound to be an issue.
The locker in question was last operated in 2016 said the bank management. In 2025 it was tried by the locker holder but by then the locker holder asserted his key to locker got lost and so there was no operation of the said locker in 2025.
The locker holder asked the bank for the key and the bank observing standard operation procedure as set by the RBI for ‘break open’ the locker, got the said locker broke open in full presence of the locker holder, two independent witnesses, the bank’s lawyer and officials etc and the entire proceedings were videographed this July 10.
The locker was found empty! There was no gold content. It’s not easy to explain as to how the locker was so empty.
Also Read- Water cannons fired, BJD workers detained as protests rock Odisha over student’s suicide
No Tampering Detected, Police Rules Out Bank’s Foul Play
The said locker has no sign of any tampering. Its keyholes are undisturbed.
A locker has two key holes. One for the locker holder to push in his key. The other key hole is for the master key of the bank. Again, pushing in the keys for the two holes has to be simultaneous, as it’s only then that the locker opens. Once the locker opens, the bank official immediately leaves the locker vault for the privacy and confidentiality of the locker holder.
Town police understand there is something in between. Prima facie the PNB appears to be neat and clean. Foul play of the bank is just out of the question, said the police.
Then, where did the gold contents go, as alleged by the locker holder? One will have to wait till the investigation of the police reaches any concrete conclusion.
Also Read- Widespread rain forecast in Jharkhand for next three days
Previous Locker Theft Incident Raises Customer Concerns
The alleged incident has shaken the faith and trust of the customers as well as of the locker holders as only a couple of years ago, around half a dozen lockers were found empty at the second branch of the PNB here in Daltonganj, which is a merged one of the United Bank of India.
Gold contents were retrieved. More than 15 people, including the then branch manager, were jailed. There was a word of great praise and appreciation for the then Palamu SP Chandan Kumar Sinha for the cracking of the case and retrieval of the stolen gold contents.
The main branch of the PNB has assured its valuable customers and locker holders not to panic at all as all the engaged lockers are safe and intact. The truth about gold contents missing will soon be found out by the police.
