In a shocking incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, Police have arrested a moneylender after the alleged suicide of a businessman, his wife, and their four-month-old son. The incident, along with another suspected case of harassment-related death, has sparked anger in the city.
According to a Hindustan times report, on August 27, police found the businessman and his wife hanging in their home. Their four-month-old son was discovered dead in another room. It is suspected that the couple poisoned the child before taking their own lives.
In another case reported on Saturday, a man allegedly ate poison after facing harassment from a corporator. The back-to-back suicide deaths have shocked the police and drawn attention to the problem of harassment and illegal moneylending.
As per HT report, Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Dwivedi said that Roza police arrested Shanky Anand, a moneylender on Sunday. During questioning, Anand admitted that he had given a loan to the businessman at an interest rate of 12 per cent without having a valid licence.
Police said they have recovered recordings from Anand’s phone in which he abused the victim and threatened to repay the loan amount within 48 hours. Anand also admitted that he had harassed the victim’s wife over repayment. He further claimed that others had also lent money to the victim at high interest rates.
To curb such practices, police have launched a toll-free helpline (78-39-860-856) where people can report harassment by moneylenders. Five investigation teams have been set up to handle complaints regarding such activities.
SP Dwivedi said that strict action will be taken against illegal moneylenders. “No moneylender will be spared. Strict action will be taken, and such offenders will be booked under the Gangsters Act,” he said, as quoted by HT.
The case has also taken a political turn. On Monday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) staged protests in Shahjahanpur, demanding action against moneylenders under the Gangsters Act.
Party district president Tanvir Khwaja alleged that moneylenders were running a “network of exploitation” and blamed them for both recent incidents.
(Discussions on suicides can be triggering for some. But suicides are preventable. If you are looking for help, some suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-40769002 from Sanjivini (Delhi-based, 10 am – 5.30 pm) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based, 8 am – 10 pm), +91 9999666555 from Vandrevala Foundation (Mumbai-based, 24×7).