Demonetisation: Akhilesh Yadav announces ex gratia for victims' kin

Taking note of the suicide by a woman allegedly after failing to exchange old notes in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh for her family and Rs 2 lakh each to those who died in similar incidents.

"The CM has announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family members of Razia, who committed suicide in Aligarh. He has also announced assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to families of victims who died while exchanging notes or in ATM queues after verification," an official spokesman said here.

Yadav said it was unfortunate that people are losing lives to withdraw their own money, he said.

Razia, a 45-year-old daily wage labourer died on December 4 at a Delhi hospital after she immolated herself on the evening of November 20 allegedly due to "failing to exchange six notes of Rs 500 despite attempts at different branches of banks in the old city area for five days".

Razia was a resident of Shahjamal locality in Delhi Gate area of Aligarh. On the night of November 20 when she was rushed to the district hospital in a critical condition she told mediapersons that she took the extreme step "out of total helplessness as her four children had not eaten any thing for three days".