Harassed by moneylender, family threatens suicide

GREATER NOIDA: A six-member family has threatened to commit suicide over threats by a local moneylender, alleging that they had already paid Rs 1 lakh for a Rs 40,000 loan they took nine years ago, and that the moneylender is demanding Rs 1.5 lakh more as interest.
The victim, Riyazuddin (45), a carpenter, lives with his wife Shabnam Bano (42) and four children - Fauzia (19), Shofia (17), Shazia (15) and Azhar (14)—in Santhali village in Jarcha.

In 2009, Riyazuddin had borrowed Rs 40,000 at 5% interest from a moneylender, Hari Gurjar. "I had borrowed the money to buy a shop in a local market. However, a middleman fled with the money and I landed in trouble. Over a period of time, I sold my house and a piece of land and paid Rs 1 lakh to the moneylender," he said.

The moneylender's son, Anil, on the other hand, claimed that his family had given Rs 1.7 lakh as loan to Riyazuddin. "He took the loan and refused to return money," he said. Anil, however, said he has no record as the money was given on personal trust.

On Wednesday, when he was out for work, the moneylender vandalised his shop. "Hari Gurjar and his two sons Suneel and Anil visited my house and started abusing my wife. They also vandalised my small shop attached to the house. They thrashed my wife and threatened of dire consequences if the loan is not paid," he said.

Riyazuddin's wife is an Anganwadi worker. Their daughters Fauzia is a student of BSc part III and Sofia studies in BSc part II in Mayawati Government Mahila Degree College, Badalpur. The two young siblings are appearing in Class X examination this year. The family said that it is difficult for them to educate the four children and run the family on a meagre income and they are not able to meet the moneylender's demand of Rs 1.5 lakh interest.

On Thursday, the family filed a complaint with the local police chowki seeking protection from the moneylender and his sons. "We will commit suicide if the harassment is not stopped," Riyazuddin said in the complaint.

Shailendra Pratap Singh, station officer, Jarcha said that the two parties had an old dispute. "We have not received a formal complaint in this regard. We have sent a team to investigate the matter and take necessary action," he said.