Dhenkanal: Tension ran high after a youth committed suicide by hanging himself due to alleged torture by a private money lender and his (lender’s) family members at Alasua, Damasahi under ward no-22 in this town late Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as Bablu Naik, 22, son of Bobby and Butun Naik in the area. Bablu’s mother had lodged a complaint in the Station Bazaar police outpost.
Family members alleged that Bablu took the extreme step after he was shamed by the money lender and his family members in public for a loan taken by his mother from the former.
After reports surfaced, family members and locals staged a road blockade near the jute mill in Station Bazaar by putting up the body on the road.
They relented after Town police IIC Abhinav Dalua intervened and assured to arrest the accused persons soon.
According to the complaint, Bablu’s mother Bobby had taken a loan of Rs 10,000 from a private money lender Barju Mallik and his wife Pranati Mallik at Nuasahi Haat road two years back. She was paying them Rs 5,000 interest every month.
Few months back, Barju demanded his money back and hurled abuses at Bobby and her family members. Fed up, she returned back the principal amount of Rs 10,000 to Barju, sources said.
However, her worries were far from over as Barju continued to harass her.
He used to beat her up and take away Rs 2,000 as interest every month, sources added. Tuesday, Barju after collecting Rs 2,000 from Bobby called her son Bablu and asked him to pay him for liquor, sources said.
Barju’s wife Pranati and four others joined him in demanding money from the youth.
They hurled slangs at him and beat him up in public at the market place after he refused to oblige them. The youth unable to cope with the torture came back home and committed suicide by hanging.
Family members rushed him to the district headquarters hospital where doctors pronounced him brought-dead.
PNN
