Bhagalpur, Feb. 7: Binod Ravi Das, a small-time trader at Thelba village under Simultala police station in Jamui district, could not purchase his day’s stock today as he found the UCO Bank’s Jhajha market branch closed.

“I have an account in the branch and had deposited some money there because it is not safe to travel with cash. I had a plan to purchase some items after withdrawing money from the bank. But because of a strike in banks today, I had to face problems. I failed to deliver some items to one of my customers, who has a wedding ceremony at his house tomorrow,” the trader said.

Binod was not alone. Like him, many residents of Jamui faced problems as employees of all major banks, except those at the branches of State Bank of India, went on a day’s pen-down strike.

The bank officials had given the strike call in protest against the murder of Ganesh Prasad Singh, the head cashier of UCO Bank’s Jamui branch yesterday in the New Mahisuri area of the town.

Motorcycle-borne criminals killed Singh last evening near his house when he was returning from work. In a similar incident, CM Prasad, the special assistant (cash section) of the Jhajha branch of UCO Bank, was killed on December 14, 2011 in the township area.

In protest against the two murders and the police’s failure to arrest the culprits, the bank officials went on the strike. Branches of all nationalised banks, barring SBI, remained closed. Branches of some private banks also did not open.

“We kept our branch open because we did not receive any instruction form our superiors. We, however, support the causes of our peers who went on the strike,” said an SBI official on condition of anonymity.

“Ever since the two murders, we are feeling insecure and it is not possible to work under such circumstances,” said A K Roy, the senior manager of UCO Bank’s Jhajha branch.

He said the police had pledged to arrest the culprits involved in Prasad’s murder. “Nearly two months have passed since then, but no one has been arrested,” he added.

Jamui superintendent of police (SP) Upendra Sharma was not available for comment. However, a senior manager of Muger Kshetriya Gramin Bank, Sailesh Kumar, said the SP met the officials who were staging a demonstration at Jamui Chowk today. “The SP assured us of arrest at the earliest,” Kumar told reporters.

Inspector-general of police (Bhagalpur zone) A.K. Ambedkar said he has asked the police in Jamui to probe into the matter. “The reports that I have received from Jamui suggested that there might be some conspiracy. It is possible that some people, closely associated with the two slain officials, might be involved in the murders. The police would soon arrest them,” he said.

The police’s assurance has, however, failed to convince the bank officials.

“The police have failed to check crime in this Maoist-hit district. A number of bankers in the district have started seeking transfer from Jamui. If the situation does not improve, we fear that many branches of banks will be closed in the district,” said a bank official on condition of anonymity.