Rajkot: A young man in Rajkot district allegedly died by suicide after enduring relentless harassment and threats from a loan recovery agent. An FIR was registered on Friday at Bhayavadar police station against an unidentified employee of Ahmedabad-based Finstars Capital Limited for allegedly driving the youth to take his own life.
Details of the Case
The FIR was filed by Vinod Rajgar, a 55-year-old daily-wage worker from Mojira village in Upleta taluka. He stated that his son Arjun had taken a business loan of Rs 3,00,000 from Finstars Capital Ltd in early 2023 to support his scrap business. The first instalment was due in February 2023, and he was required to pay 60 instalments. For several months, Arjun paid his monthly EMIs of Rs 8,286. However, his business failed in recent months, causing severe financial strain and leaving him unable to pay his EMIs for the last three or four months.
Harassment Escalates
After the defaults, an employee of the finance company began calling Arjun persistently. The FIR states that the agent subjected him to severe mental harassment and frequently threatened him with legal cases. The harassment allegedly peaked when the agent told Arjun that the company did not care if he lived or died and that even if he had to kill himself, he needed to pay the money.
Suicide and Suicide Note
Unable to endure the relentless hounding, Arjun died by suicide, hanging himself with a piece of cloth from a neem tree near his grandfather's grave in their village on April 23, the FIR states. After his family found him, Arjun was rushed to the government hospital in Bhayavadar, where police later found a suicide note in his pocket. In the note, he explicitly named the Finstars Capital Limited employee, along with a specific mobile number, as the reason for ending his life.
Harassment Continues After Death
The FIR further alleges that the harassment did not stop even after Arjun's death. While the family was dealing with police procedures, the same recovery agent called Arjun's phone again. A relative, Pradip, answered the call on speakerphone and suggested that the hounding had forced Arjun to take the drastic step. The agent allegedly said the company did not care.
Legal Action
Bhayavadar police registered a case under Sections 108 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with abetment to suicide and criminal intimidation. The investigation is ongoing.
