22-year-old dies by suicide in Karnataka, alleges threat from moneylending apps

A 22-year-old engineering student in Bengaluru died by suicide after allegedly being harassed by private money lending apps. The victim had borrowed money for a friend and failed to repay it, resulting in harassment from the loan apps. The family has lodged a complaint and the police have registered a case of unnatural death. The incident has prompted the government to take action against moneylending mobile applications.

A 22-year-old engineering student in Bengaluru died by suicide at his residence on Tuesday after being allegedly harassed by private money lending apps, police said on Thursday.

A 22-year-old engineering student in Bengaluru died by suicide after being allegedly harassed by private money lending apps (Agencies/Representative use)

The deceased was a resident of Jalahalli, and a mechanical engineering student at a private college near Yelahanka, police said.

According to officials, the victim had allegedly borrowed money from loan apps for his friend. He had failed to pay the EMIs for the past year, an outstanding amount of approximately ₹45,000.

The incident came to light around 7 pm on Tuesday when the victim’s father returned home, officials said, adding that the victim was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The family of the deceased lodged a complaint with the Jalahalli police station, alleging that moneylending apps were harassing him and responsible for their son’s death. Based on the father’s complaint, the Jalahalli police have registered a case of unnatural death.

“Tejas had borrowed money from loan apps and given it to his friend. He had borrowed money from his cousins to repay that loan and borrowed from the apps again to return money to his cousins. He had borrowed around ₹30,000, including interest and late fee charges he had to pay back around ₹45,000,” the victim’s father said in the complaint.

The agents allegedly resorted to blackmail, threatening to expose the deceased’s intimate photographs stored on his mobile phone if he failed to repay the loan, his father alleged.

The victim also left a note explaining his decision to end his life. “I am sorry, mom and dad, for whatever I did. I have no other choice than this. I am unable to pay other loans that are there in my name and this is my final decision. Good Bye,” he said in his note.

Meanwhile, the Congress government raised the issue in the assembly on Monday.

The state government informed the legislative council that as many as 42 moneylending mobile applications were pulled down from the Google Play Store after they were found to be harassing the public.