Chequemate: Justice can wait, not bank accounts

While some of the relatives sat confused for two days, wondering what to do with the piece of blue paper, others went borrowing for the initial deposit to open an account.

Most families earn their livelihood by pulling rickshaws and live in slums or under flyovers. None has ever had to deal with a bank before. Durga Prasad Rawat, whose mother died in the stampede, received a knock on his door around 9 pm on Tuesday. A state administration official had a cheque of Rs 1 lakh made out in his name and that of his two brothers.

Rawat, a rickshaw-puller, earns Rs 60 a day. One of his brother does the same for a living. Since neither of them could figure out what to do, they went to their eldest brother, Suraj Prasad, a peon with Jal Nigam.

It took even Suraj two days to work out that the brothers would have to get their pictures clicked and arrange for some cash to open an account.

Even after the accounts were opened, the families have been told it will take three days for the cheques to be encashed. Meanwhile, the administration has also woken up to the fact that none of these families have dealt with banks before. They are now planning to hold a session just to explain how the money can be withdrawn.