Farmer commits suicide after private bank staff threatens for payment dues

It is said, Maruthamuthu, from Perur near Jeeyapuram in Tiruchy availed a loan of Rs 1.50 lakh from Equitas Small Finance Bank functioning at Woraiyur and he was paying the EMI of Rs 6000. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, he could not succeed in agriculture and so he failed to pay the EMIs for three months. 

Since he could not pay the EMI, the bank officials contacted him recently to pay the sum in a week without fail. 

Meanwhile on Tuesday, when an employee of the bank came to his office and demanded the EMI and the bank official also had reportedly threatened him and even used abusive words. He also said that he would stay in front of the house until he paid the dues and went on abusing Maruthamuthu. 

Since he was ridiculing him, Maruthamuthu who was heartbroken, hanged himself while the bank staff was staying outside. Soon the bank staff escaped from the spot. On information, the police rushed to the house and retrieved the body and sent it to the Tiruchy GH. 

Meanwhile, the relatives of Maruthamuthu assembled in front of the GH and staged a protest. By that time, the farmers associations joined the protest and demanded action against the bank employees. The police pacified them and assured them of action and so they withdrew the protest. Later, the body was handed over to the family members. 

Further investigations are on.