File picture of pilgrims at the Vaishno Devi shrine

Agartala, July 11: The next time you say you believe in Vaishnodevi you might run the risk of losing your money, as the deity will claim an amount from you through computerised network.

Sounds unbelievable, but not quite so as Swadesh Ranjan Paul learnt last week. A devout Hindu, Paul was not amused by the appropriation of his money by the “deity”.

Paul, a doctor in the health department of the state government, had gone to withdraw Rs 15,000 from the State Bank of India’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) counter, at Arundhatinagar area of Agartala around 12.30 pm yesterday.

He needed the money urgently for a journey with his family.

The computerised network responded by putting on display names of umpteen number of deities inhabiting shrines in various nooks and corners of the country and asking the user whether he believed in their immense power and benevolence.

Not quite sure of what he was doing, Paul pressed a key to answer in the positive and awaited the delivery of his money for a long time.

But the money never came out, nor did he get any information about the amount that he had applied for.

The doctor then rushed to the SBI headquarters in the Krishna Nagar area of Agartala and apprised chief manager Samir Nath of the situation. Nath immediately contacted the national headquarters at Belapur in Maharashtra.

The latter explained, “We have advertisement contracts with many organisations including religious bodies and a customer has to withdraw his money from the ATM counter after perusing the names of deities as part of an advertisement”.

However, no assurance was given for the recovery of the money.

When the chief manager insisted on a direct reply for the recovery of the money he was told that the ‘Vaishnodevi Trust’ could be contacted for the refund.

“I have requested the authorities here to persuade their headquarters to take up the issue with the trust so that my money is refunded,” said a distraught Paul, adding that he would wait a while before consulting lawyers regarding his next course of action.