HAZARIBAG: A farmer, allegedly under debt and threatened that he would be arrested as he was unable to pay off the loan on time, committed suicide in Hazaribag district on Sunday night. Sources said Awadhesh Kumar Singh (39) from Dandai village under Hazaribag mufassil police stationwas threatened by Ujjivan Finance and Small Bank for the delay in repayment.
Singh’s brother Nitesh Kumar on Monday filed an FIR against the bank officials in this regard. Mufassil police station in-charge Manoj Kumar Singh said Singh had taken a farm loan of Rs 75,000 in August 2019 and it was due to be cleared in 19 months with a monthly installment of Rs 3,937. “Singh had cleared Rs 43,000 until May 2020, but could not pay further installments due to a financial crisis aggravated by the lockdown,” he said.
“His family has alleged that on October 31, a team from the bank visited his house with a notice of payment of Rs 51,000 immediately and threatened him of stern action in case of failure,” said the OC, adding that the family also accused the bank officials of humiliating them in full public glare. “This could be the trigger behind suicide,” Singh said, adding that they have launched a probe into the case.
Hazaribag DC Aditya Kumar Anand said that the matter has come to their notice and an inquiry has been ordered. “I have asked team of officials the details about the loan, the bank concerned and if any undue pressure was put on Singh for the recovery of the amount. I will be in a position to share the details once the report is submiied,” he said.