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Three arrested in suicide case of two family members over private loans
Pimpri-Chinchwad police arrested three moneylenders for harassing a family, leading to a suicide attempt that resulted in two deaths.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police on Saturday arrested three private moneylenders for allegedly torturing, abusing, and harassing a family, forcing suicide attempt by its three members, resulting in the death of two, officials said.
The incident took place in Sonawane Wasti, Chikhali, Pimpri-Chinchwad on Friday.
The accused have been identified as Santosh Kadam from Tathawade, Santosh Pawar from Kudalwadi in Chikhali, and Javed Khan from Moi in Khed, Pune district. Their accomplice Surekha Kadam is at large.
According to the police officials, the complainant, a 45-year-old medical store owner in Chikhali, attempted to die by suicide along with his 36-year-old wife and nine-year-old son. While the complainant survived, his wife and son died.
The police investigation revealed that since 2010, the complainant had borrowed ₹2 lakh from Surekha, ₹4 lakh from Khan, ₹5 lakh from Kadam, and ₹2 lakh from Pawar, all at an interest rate of 10% per month. Over time, he repaid the principal amounts and ₹9.5 lakh in interest to Kadam, also mortgaging to him one acre of land. Despite this, Surekha, wife of Santosh Kadam, allegedly demanded ₹14 lakh more and threatened to seize all his immovable property.
Frustrated by the continuous alleged harassment, threats, and torture, the complainant decided to die by suicide. On Thursday, he sent his 14-year-old son to a relative’s house, wrote a suicide note, and sent it to his son’s mobile.
The next day, he, along with his wife and younger son, consumed sleeping pills and allegedly attempted suicide by hanging.
Vitthal Salunkhe, senior inspector, Chikhali Police Station, said, “The elder son read the suicide note on his phone and tried calling his parents. When they didn’t respond, he informed the neighbours, who alerted the police. The police rushed the family members to the hospital, but the complainant’s wife and younger son were declared dead on arrival.”
Chikhali police have a filed a case under Sections 352, 351(2), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Sections 39 and 45 of the Maharashtra Private Money Lenders Act, 2014.
