The endless wait to get valid currency notes were also taking a toll on people waiting for hours in long queues as there were reports of many elderly people collapsing out of fatigue.
Security was beefed up outside bank branches as millions of anxious people struggling to buy daily items waited for hours to exchange the banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes even as the ATMs went dry soon after they were stocked due to the huge rush.
Enraged over not getting ration from a fair price shop due to shortage of cash, people at Bardaha village in Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh allegedly looted groceries from the outlet in protest. Police claimed there was no such incident.
To add to the misery of cash-strapped people, several ATMs were not non-functional.
Angry customers waiting outside a branch of the State Bank of Travancore at Vavvakkam in Kollam district allegedly broke a glass door after it decided to down shutters due to heavy rush when around 200 persons were inside the premises.
At several places in Gujarat, people clashed with bank officials leading to police action including lathi-charge and detention.
At a bank branch at Shihori in Banaskantha district, police resorted to lathi-charge after people clashed with bank officials when they refused to dispense money.
In the national capital, Delhi Police deployed more
forces to maintain calm and warned of strict action against those trying to spread rumours on social media.
In addition to this, RAF jawans were also deployed at certain points to monitor the situation. Senior officers of Delhi Police were also present at important junctions to oversee the security arrangements.
People complained of difficulties with several ATMs remaining closed, and banks exchanging the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with coins and small denomination currency.
"Nobody is accepting old currency notes, even hospitals are now refusing to do so because of which we are facing difficulty. Several ATMs still remain closed," said Ramesh Agarwal, who came to exchange his old notes at a bank in Ahmedabad.
Shrikant Manohar, who drew money from the mobile ATM said, "It was no less than a surprise. People lined up for hours, while I got cash with this mobile ATM as it came to my doorsteps.
