Gonda (UP), Oct 31 (PTI) A bank employee, who had gone to a village to recover a loan, was attacked and taken hostage by the loan defaulter and his supporters Uttar Pradesh's Gonda, police said on Tuesday.

Police reached the spot and freed the bank staff and five people have been detained in this connection. A case has been lodged under relevant sections at the local Colonelganj police station, police said.

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The Bank Officers Association has warned of agitation if strict and effective action is not taken against the culprits.

Giving details of the incident, Senior Manager of the Prathama UP Gramin Bank, who is also the district president of the officers association, Sudhir Kumar Shukla told PTI that a team of officials of the Balpur branch of the bank had on Monday gone to Sonhara village to recover the NPA from Ghanshyam, the loanee of Kisan Credit Card (KCC).

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When asked to deposit the dues, Ghanshyam started abusing the bank officials and started an argument, Shukla said, adding that his family members and some supporters attacked the officials with sticks, bricks and stones, as a result of which, some bank officials were injured.

The attackers took all the officers present at the spot hostage, he said.

Superintendent of Police Ankit Mittal said five accused have been detained and are being interrogated. The medical examination of the injured is also being done, the SP said.

Meanwhile, Provincial General Secretary of Prathama UP Gramin Bank Officers Association, Anant Tiwari, has written a letter to the chief minister, senior police and bank officials and demanded strict action against the culprits and proper security to the bank officials.

The association warned that otherwise, it will be forced to take the agitational path.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)