A 22-year-old student in Bengaluru allegedly ended his life at his house in HMT Layout, Jalahalli, on Tuesday evening after being harassed by a loan app company.
Tejash Nayar, a 6th-semester engineering student, had reportedly borrowed ₹46,000 using a loan app. When he was unable to repay the loan, the company executives allegedly harassed him. Unable to bear the harassment, he ended his life, after leaving behind a note apologising to his parents.
In his complaint, Gopinath P.S., father of the deceased, said Tejash had been using loan apps for the last one and a half years. When he came to know about it 20 days ago, he helped him with some money to repay the EMI. Since then, he has been in depression and not talking to anyone.
On Tuesday, Tejash was at home as there was no class. Gopinath went to drop his daughter at the tuition class. When he returned, he found the door locked, and there was no response. With the help of neighbours, the door was broken open, and Tejash was taken to a hospital where the doctors declared him as brought dead.
Based on a complaint, the police took up a case, and are investigating.
The incident has put the spotlight back on the loan app scams that have been on the rise in Bengaluru. The police have warned people not to fall for easily available loans and advised them against downloading unauthorised apps, or accessing unknown links. Any fraudulent access to bank accounts or data theft have to be reported to the police.
(Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies can call arogya sahayavani on Ph: 104 for help)
