High Drama: Bank Seals Hotel Over Loan Default, Owner Rescued By Police From Inside

High drama unfolded on the streets of Bhubaneswar on Monday evening when the officials of Odisha Gramya Bank sealed off a hotel at Infocity road in Patia over non-repayment of loan.

As per reports, the defaulting owner of the hotel, identified as one Samarendra Parija, was reportedly inside the hotel after the bank officials sealed the building off.

After the matter came to light, Parija was rescued by the Police with help of his relatives from the hotel. Later the building was again sealed off by the bank authorities.

According to authorities, the Tankapani Road Branch of Odisha Gramya Bank in Bhubaneswar had loaned Parija an amount over Rs 4 Crores for the hotel which he has been allegedly defaulting for years.

On Monday, the bank officials raided the hotel and pasted a notice on its premises barring the public from dealing with the property in any manner. The bank said that it will not be responsible for any eventuality later in case of any intrusion.

Speaking to OTV, the hotel owner Parija clarified, “Cyclone Fani and Hudhud caused extensive damage to my property. I repaired this hotel from my own pocket. And with the onset of COVID, my business was completely down. I could not repay the loan.”

"I urged the bank many times to give me some more capital so that I can generate some money to repay the loan, but the bank refused and sealed it off,” he added.