Unable to withstand the alleged harassment by microfinance lending app companies, a private employee killed himself at his residence in Gundla Pochamma village of Pet-Basheerabad in Medchal-Malkajgiri district on Saturday morning.
This is the fifth “forced suicide ‘ in Telangana due to online lenders harassment and public shaming.
The victim, G Chandra Mohan (36), obtained a personal loan from an app a few weeks ago, and to clear it within the stipulated time of one week, he ended up taking loans from multiple apps, Cyberabad Commissioner of Police V.C. Sajjanar told The Hindu.
Chandra Mohan took ₹70,000 loan from at least nine such apps and failed to repay, as a result the lenders branded him a defaulter and threatened him over phone repeatedly, he said.
The firms also phoned and sent messages to his relatives and friends to defame him forcing the victim to resort to the extreme step, Mr. Sajjanar said, and added the loanees who were being harassed by the companies should approach police and lodged a complaint rather than resorting to the extreme step.
His family members who were in another room found him hanging from a ceiling fan and informed police, who in turn rushed to the spot and shifted the body to Osmania General Hospital morgue for autopsy.
According to police, the victim first took a loan two months ago and for the past 15 days he was depressed over the harassment and public shaming. After learning about the police investigation into such cases, he contacted the Rachakonda police who counselled him, but in vain.
“On Friday night too, his brother-in-law and other family members counselled Chandra Mohan and assured him for arranging some money to clear the debt,” police said quoting the victim’s family members.
Chandramohan’s wife Sarita said the tele callers did not spare even her and used to abuse her in foul language. She told police that her husband took multiple loans of ₹ 70,000 and so far paid around ₹ two lakh. But, the app companies harassed him to pay more to give a clean chit.
There is always someone to listen at: +914066202000 or 6666 1117 in case of any emotional breakdowns at this Hyderabad-based suicide intervention centre Roshni.
