Kerala Youth Dies After Consuming Acid, Harassment by Online Loan Apps Suspected
In a tragic incident highlighting the dangers of digital lending, a 21-year-old man from Kerala died on Monday after consuming acid last week. Police suspect that relentless harassment by representatives of online loan applications drove him to take this extreme step.
Details of the Incident
The deceased has been identified as Anand, a resident of Aryanad. The incident occurred on the afternoon of March 4 at a tyre workshop in Tulimoodu, where he was employed. Co-workers discovered Anand lying unconscious at the workshop and immediately rushed him to Nedumangad district hospital.
As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram for advanced treatment. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries on Monday.
Police Investigation and Harassment Allegations
Preliminary police investigations indicate that Anand had been facing sustained harassment linked to online loan applications. Officers recovered screenshots of WhatsApp messages from his mobile phone showing repeated repayment demands and abusive communication allegedly sent by individuals claiming to represent loan apps.
"These communications are being examined as part of the investigation," a police officer stated. Police revealed that Anand had recently borrowed money through online lending platforms and submitted personal documents during the process. Shortly after, he began receiving frequent calls and WhatsApp messages demanding repayment.
Family members alleged that callers threatened to circulate morphed obscene images of him if he failed to pay. A case has been registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS), which deals with unnatural deaths.
Family's Grievances and Demands
Relatives claimed they had earlier approached police seeking action against those responsible for the threatening calls and messages. However, they were advised to simply block the numbers. The family further alleged that police told them the operators of the loan applications might be functioning from abroad, making it difficult to trace them.
Demanding a thorough probe, Anand's father, Suresh Kumar, said his son had been under severe mental stress due to the harassment. The family plans to approach the state human rights commission seeking further action.
The body was handed over to relatives after the postmortem, and the funeral was held at his native place. This case underscores the growing menace of predatory online lending practices and their devastating impact on vulnerable individuals.
