‘Harassed by loan sharks’, Rajkot couple dies by suicide

Inspector JD Parmar of Bhaktinagar police station said they were on the lookout to apprehend the accused persons, who have been booked for abetment to suicide, extortion, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and under sections of the Gujarat Moneylenders Act. (File)

A married couple from Rajkot allegedly died by suicide on Monday over harassment from their lenders, from whom they were said to have borrowed at least Rs 10 lakh, police said.

Ramesh and Bharti Chavda, said to be in their late 30s, were allegedly harassed even after paying back Rs 37.2 lakh and putting their car as collateral for one of the loans, according to a police complaint filed by Ramesh’s father, Mavji Kanji Chavda, 68. The couple owned a garlic peeling business.

In his complaint, Mavji said his son picked him up from home around 5 pm on October 25, and they then visited his nephew. There, Ramesh asked his cousin to lend him Rs 8 lakh. But the cousin said he had recently given Ramesh Rs 5 lakh and asked him why he needed more money. Ramesh explained to him that he had to pay back loans.

The father and son went back home where they discussed the debts Ramesh and Bharti had been trapped in.

The police, citing Mavji, said Ramesh had taken Rs 4.5 lakh from one of the accused three months ago, but had already paid him back Rs 21 lakh. Still, the lender wanted Rs 20 lakh more from him.

The couple had borrowed another Rs 4.5 lakh from a woman and had paid her back Rs 15 lakh, but she was still asking for Rs 9 lakh more.

They had borrowed Rs 1 lakh from another person and paid him back Rs 1.2 lakh. Their car had been given as a guarantee to yet another creditor, who was refusing to return it till he was paid.

Story continues below this ad

About 1:45 am on October 26, the complainant called his nephew to come talk to Ramesh. However, the couple had left unannounced on their two-wheeler.

About 2:45 am, the complainant and his nephew found the couple dead at their factory.

Inspector JD Parmar of Bhaktinagar police station said they were on the lookout to apprehend the accused persons, who have been booked for abetment to suicide, extortion, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and under sections of the Gujarat Moneylenders Act.