Man sets himself ablaze over online gambling debts

The deceased S Thyagarajan of Otteri, a hairdresser, did not have a child even after 10 years of marriage. It is said he was upset over it and started playing online cricket games to divert attention, whenever he was free at the workplace.

Police said Thyagarajan lost about Rs 5 lakh gambling online for which his family had to pledge the house. While they later sold the house unable to repay the sum, he again bought loans from non-banking finance firms and lost it all in the gambling. Since he could not repay the loans during the lockdown, he started getting harassing calls to retrieve the bad loans and agents allegedly visited him at home and threatened him. Dejected, he shifted to his parents’ house two days ago and immolated self on Tuesday night since the collection agents visited him there too.

Around 9.30 pm on Tuesday, Thyagarajan doused himself with a can of petrol in front of his house and set himself ablaze even as his parents and relatives were inside the house, police said.

They put off the fire with the help of neighbours and rushed him to Kilpauk MCH. However, since he sustained 90 per cent burns, Thyagarajan succumbed on Wednesday morning. Kodungaiyur police have registered a case.