60-Year-Old Woman Dies By Suicide Over Loan 'Harassment' In Karnataka; FIR Against 7

The police registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 190 (unlawful assembly) against seven agents from the microfinance firms.

Representational Image | A woman allegedly committed suicide after being harassed by loan recovery agents for a missed payment in Karnataka's Ramanagara district.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

A 60-year-old woman committed suicide after allegedly being harassed by loan recovery agents on Monday in the Ramanagara district of Karnataka, police said on Wednesday. The identified deceased was Yashodamma, a resident of the Thimmaianadoddi village in Ramanagara.

According to a report by Indian Express, her 38-year-old son stated that she had availed a loan of Rs 4.82 lakh from seven microfinance firms. He added that she used to pay the equated monthly installments (EMIs) of the loan but could not pay for a month.

The agents from two microfinance companies reportedly visited Yashodamma’s home to demand loan repayment on Monday. When she assured them that she would adjust the amount and settle the loan, the agents allegedly verbally abused her, questioning why she borrowed money if she couldn’t repay it. According to the complaint, they insulted her publicly before leaving.

Later, her son received a call from neighbours informing him that Yashodamma had died by suicide. He claimed that the agents while berating his mother, told her to end her life if she couldn’t repay the debt. The police registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 190 (unlawful assembly) against seven agents from the microfinance firms.

Police Register Case Against Manager Of Finance Company In Ramanagara 

In a separate incident, a loan recovery manager of a finance company was arrested by the Karnataka's Ramanagara rural police reportedly abusing and assaulting a 40-year-old woman. The apprehended individual has been identified as Raghu, the manager of New Opportunity Consultancy Private Limited. The victim, Munivenkatamma, lodged a complaint with the Ramanagara rural police on January 18.

According to a police official, Munivenkatamma had taken a loan of Rs 52,000 and was paying a monthly EMI of Rs 2,810. After missing her EMIs for three consecutive months, Raghu allegedly visited her home with seven others on December 20 and assaulted her. Following the incident, Munivenkatamma moved to her mother’s residence in Magadi taluk and later filed a complaint with the police. 

In response, the police registered a case under BNS sections 126 (wrongful restraint), 351 (criminal intimidation), 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 74 (use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty).