The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has registered a suo moto case against the Chooralmala branch of the Kerala Gramin Bank for deducting monthly loan instalments from survivors of the Wayanad landslides.
Youth organisations of political parties, including DYFI of the state-ruling CPM, protested at Kalpetta earlier on the day alleging Rs 2,000 was deducted from the emergency relief of Rs 10,000 provided by the government. The SHRC said in a press release that it was an impromptu move on the part of the bank at the time of the disaster. It is understood the case was registered based on news reports.
K Baijunath, a judicial member of SHRC, has directed the manager of KGB's Chooralmala branch and the Wayanad District Collector to submit a detailed report in a week. The case will be taken up at the commission's next sitting in Sulthan Bathery.
Among the survivors, who now reside at temporary relief camps, 10 people came forward against the bank's decision to debit the EMI from the relief amount. Earlier on the day Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came out heavily against the bank and directed the Collector to initiate appropriate steps to rectify the error.
The protests in front of KGB's regional branch at Kalpetta were called off early afternoon following assurances given by the bank officials.