Young Man Dies by Suicide After Loan App Harassment in Andhra Pradesh
A tragic incident has unfolded in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, where Narendra, a 25-year-old fisherman, dies by Suicide after being relentlessly harassed by agents of a loan app. The harassment involved morphed photos of his wife being sent to friends and family members, alongside offensive price quotes, leaving the couple humiliated and devastated.
Narendra had married Akhila in an intercaste love marriage on October 28. Shortly after, financial struggles began due to poor weather, which prevented him from fishing. To cope with the situation, he took a loan of ₹2,000 from an online lending app. However, the agents of the app began harassing him with constant calls and abusive messages, demanding repayment.
The situation worsened when they sent photos of Akhila, altered with derogatory content, to people in Narendra’s contact list. This shattered Akhila, who was unaware of the loan until then. Despite repaying the entire loan amount, the harassment continued. As word of the incident spread among their friends and family, Narendra was overwhelmed by the humiliation, leading to his heartbreaking decision.
This case marks the third suicide linked to loan app harassment in just one week in Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, a young woman in Nandyal district also faced similar abuse but was fortunately rescued by the police after attempting suicide.
Concerns around the unethical practices of these loan apps have escalated, with Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Anitha pledging to crack down on such illegal activities. She condemned the inhumane treatment faced by borrowers, noting that the harsh tactics employed by loan apps have pushed vulnerable individuals to the brink of suicide.
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