Harassment by online loan app drives another man to suicide in Hyd

Hyderabad, April 19:  Harassment by operators of an online loan app drove a youth to suicide in Hyderabad.

Unable to bear the harassment by the app operators, Rajkumar hanged himself at his house in Jiyaguda under the limits of Kulsumpura police station on Monday, the police said on Tuesday.

The family of Rajkumar, a private employee, told the police that he had taken Rs 12,000 through an online loan app and repaid Rs 4,000 through EMIs.

While taking the loan, the youth had given contact numbers of friends as reference. Since he failed to repay the remaining amount, the app organisers sent messages to his friends.

Rajukumar, who felt humiliated, hanged himself from a ceiling fan when no one was at home. On a complaint lodged by her mother, the police have registered a case and taken up the investigation.

The latest incident has come to light even as the police in Greater Hyderabad intensified crackdown on online loan apps in recent times after fresh cases of harassment were reported.

Last year, six persons had committed suicide in Telangana due to harassment by agents hired by instant loan apps.

As many as 50 cases of harassment were reported from Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda police commissionerates, which cover Hyderabad and its surroundings. Some of the apps were found linked to Chinese nationals.

In many cases, the agents demanded more money even after the clients had cleared the dues. According to the police, messages sent to references given by clients while taking loans and threats led to the suicides.

Last month, the Hyderabad police had busted a fraud case related to a loan app run by a Chinese national in Bengaluru. The police had arrested two residents of Karnataka, who were running a call centre and offering loans through six loan applications under the supervision of a Chinese national.

In February, recovery agents of a loan app had falsely branded a man as a rapist so as to force him to repay the loan.

According to the police, in the majority of the cases reported, the agents sent messages to the clients' families and friends to name and shame them.