Harassed by bank over pending dues, man dies by suicide

HYDERABAD: A man from Gandhinagar area died by suicide after allegedly facing harassment from bank employees over pending dues. Aaraveti Praveen Kumar, 42, who worked at a pharmaceutical company, was found unconscious after consuming some poisonous substance at his house on Saturday. 

He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed while undergoing treatment. Police have registered a case based on a complaint from the victim’s wife and started the investigation. According to police, Praveen was living at SBI Colony in Gandhinagar. He is survived by his wife Swati and two children. 

In her complaint, Swati told police that her husband had obtained a credit card from Kotak Mahindra Bank. “He used to pay the bill regularly. In March 2022, the bank executives informed him that an amount of Rs 1.63 lakh was pending on his credit card. He started receiving calls from the bank and they continuously harassed him, despite giving them assurances that would pay the amount,” she said in her complaint.

On Friday, two executives from the bank visited their house and created ruckus. This led to a brawl between the bank employees and Praveen. The bank employees told him that they will initiate legal proceedings against him and left. Swati and the owner of the house in which the couple lived told him not to worry as he looked distressed. 

Subsequently, on Saturday morning, he asked his wife to get him the medical kit that was available at their home. Swathi told him that she will bring it in some time and went inside the kitchen. When she came out, she found Praveen lying unconscious inside the bathroom. She alerted the police, who rushed him to a hospital, where he died. Further investigation is in process, police said.