Yet another case of suicide due to harassment by unauthorised digital lending mobile apps was reported in Telangana on Friday.
In Rajanna-Sircilla district, a 24-year-old youngster ended his life by hanging from a ceiling fan. This is the sixth case of suicide due to harassment by loan sharks existing only in mobile applications.
According to district Superintendent of Police Rahul Hegde B.K., the victim, M. Pavan Kalyan Reddy, a graduate from Galipalli village of Illanthakunta mandal, borrowed a few thousand rupees from an online app and was unable to repay within the stipulated time.
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When Reddy failed to clear the loan, the recovery tele-callers sent messages and called him. As he was not responding to their calls, the app company messaged his cousin, whose number was submitted as a secondary contact, he said.
“Currently, we don’t know how much money he borrowed, but his cousin informed us that he was due to pay around ₹ 19,000 and Reddy borrowed ₹ 10,000 from her,” Mr. Hegde said.
When the youngster asked for additional amount of ₹10,000, his cousin informed the family members about his debt, and he was reprimanded. Unable to bear the harassment from the loan app company, Reddy resorted to the extreme step on Friday afternoon.
“To find out the exact amount he borrowed from these apps, we must get access to his mobile phone which has fingerprint lock. His phone will be sent to the forensic lab to extract the data,” the SP said.
Further, Mr. Hegde requested borrowers to approach police and lodge complaint about the harassment and public shaming by app-based money lending companies rather than resorting to extreme steps.
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.
