Pandemonium erupted in Behala on Tuesday morning after a sack filled with demonetised notes was found in a bush beside a pond. The incident led to a large contingent of police being pressed to tackle an agitated mob.
On previous occasions, the recently demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have been found in shredded condition from different parts of the city.
This is, however, the first time when the demonetised notes have been found in a normal condition, sources said.
Police said that some youth regularly used to go to the pond on Rai Bahadur Road in Behala to catch fish. On Tuesday, the youth went to the pond at dawn and chanced upon a sack on the edge of the pond, which had been tied up with a piece of rope.
Initially, the youth thought that someone might have filled the sack with the carcass of a dog or cat and dumped it near the pond.
They were, however, surprised after opening the sack to find demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Startled, they immediately dropped the sack at the spot and informed the police.
It took no time for the spread to news and soon hundreds of people were thronging near the pond.
Eventually, a large contingent of police was pressed to tackle the situation.
A police officer said that people were trying to get a glimpse of the sack filled with demonetised currency as if they had never seen such notes.
Eventually, pandemonium ensued when some local people tried to get hold of the sack and police had to take action to stop them.
Police confiscated all the notes and sent it for necessary tests.
Police suspect that someone outsider dumped the sack near the pond in the hopes that it would be difficult for the police to identify the person.
According to experts in the money market, recovery of demonetised notes even a month after the last date of deposition of such notes in any bank shows that the attempt of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight against black money by has not yielded desired results.
They feel more such incidents could take place in the next few months.