Lady Officer Stabbed with Knife at Union Bank Kerala Branch: A Call for Systemic Change

A deeply distressing and violent incident occurred at Union Bank of India's Manjummel Branch in Ernakulam Region in the evening of last Thursday, July 3 2025. An individual, formerly engaged as a gold appraiser at the branch, forcibly entered the premises post 7:00 PM and, without provocation, physically assaulted and stabbed the Second Officer, a lady officer with a knife, in the presence of her colleagues, including a newly appointed lady LBO.

The attacker, now in police custody under serious non-bailable charges, was reportedly a habitual offender who had previously displayed gross misconduct, including attending duty in an inebriated & intoxicated state.

His services were rightfully terminated owing to his persistent dereliction of duty, and it is evident that the attack was a vengeful act.

Our team promptly swung into action following the incident. Senior leaders of the Association & Senior executives from Zonal Office immediately reached the hospital and stood with the victim and her family till late night. The Association continues to extend all possible support, including arranging psychological counselling for the officers who witnessed this horrific act and is now grappling with severe mental trauma.

The Association also sincerely acknowledges and appreciates the swift response and humane support extended by the Zonal Head, Shri Sakthivel, the Deputy Zonal Heads, and senior executives of the Bank who personally visited the hospital and remained with the affected officer till late into the night.

The Larger Systemic Concern
While these gestures are commendable, the incident highlights a glaring systemic failure concerning security arrangements in bank branches, especially after working hours. The Union Bank Officers’ Association (Kerala State) has officially written to the management demanding immediate attention to the critical issue of security vulnerabilities at branches operating beyond regular hours without adequate protection.

It is a harsh reality that most branches, despite handling crores worth of public money and safeguarding gold and other valuable assets, operate without security guards. Furthermore, there is no Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that governs the keeping open of bank premises after 6:30 PM.

The Association strongly advocates that no branch should be allowed to remain open beyond 6:30 PM without explicit permission from the Zonal Office or Central Office. Moreover, the Bank's Chief Security Officer must proactively establish stringent protocols to prevent recurrence of such grievous incidents.

In light of similar past incidents in Kerala, the AIBOC Kerala has already escalated the matter by writing to the Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, urging state authorities to examine the growing security lapses in bank branches, particularly concerning operations beyond regular business hours. The Association has categorically highlighted that in rural and semi-urban areas, late evening operations create the perfect opportunity for criminal elements to target bank staff and public assets.

The Association also condemns the irresponsible and inaccurate reporting by certain media houses that have misrepresented the facts surrounding the incident. We wish to make it clear that this was a criminal act perpetrated by a known offender and not an issue stemming from routine banking operations.

Members are hereby requested not to be misled by the false narratives in certain sections of the media. For the correct version and details of the representations made, we enclose herewith the letter submitted by UBOAKS / AIBOC for the perusal of our members. A formal press statement will also be released shortly to set the public record straight.

Both the Union Bank Officers’ Association and the Zonal Management have assured their continued support to the victim and her family. However, the Association emphasises that what is urgently required is a policy-level intervention. The Central Management and the Chief Security Officer must immediately develop and enforce a comprehensive SOP governing branch operations beyond standard hours, with particular attention to the safety of officers in remote locations.

The Manjummel incident is not an isolated episode but a wake-up call demanding serious introspection and decisive action to safeguard the lives of the banking fraternity and protect public assets entrusted to the Bank.

[Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of this publication.]