: A 24-year-old pregnant woman died after struggling to bear the heat and crowd while waiting in a long queue at a bank in Dindori taluka. The incident took place at the Bank of Maharashtra branch in Umrale Budruk, a key banking hub for nearby villages.
The deceased, Sulabha Lahamge (24), lived near the Alandi Dam area in Dindori taluka. She was eight months pregnant and had gone to the bank to withdraw money from the Ladki Bahin Yojana. She was accompanied by her maternal uncle, Santosh Gangode.
Due to heavy crowds at the bank, Sulabha had to stand in line for nearly two to three hours. The extreme heat and exhaustion made her feel dizzy. Seeing her condition, Gangode immediately took her to the Umrale Budruk Primary Health Center, from where she was shifted to Dindori Rural Hospital. However, doctors declared her dead upon arrival.
The Bank of Maharashtra branch at Umrale Budruk serves around 40 to 50 villages and remains overcrowded due to the high number of beneficiaries of government schemes. The bank also faces a staff shortage, forcing customers to wait in long queues for hours. Locals have raised concerns about the lack of proper facilities and have demanded immediate action to prevent such tragedies in the future.