Cops probe loan app harassment in youth’s death

T'puram: A 21-year-old from Aryanad who had consumed acid last week died on Monday. Police suspect harassment by representatives of online loan apps as the reason behind the extreme step. The deceased has been identified as Anand. Police said the incident occurred on the afternoon of March 4 at a tyre workshop in Tulimoodu, where he was employed. Police said co-workers found Anand lying unconscious at the workshop and immediately rushed him to Nedumangad district hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to Govt Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, for advanced treatment. He succumbed to his injuries on Monday. Preliminary investigations indicate that the youth had been facing sustained harassment linked to online loan applications. Police 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 said. Police said Anand had recently borrowed money through online lending applications and had 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. Police said a case has been registered under Section 194 of the BNSS, which deals with unnatural deaths. Relatives also alleged that they had earlier approached police seeking action against those responsible for the threatening calls and messages. However, they were advised to 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. The family said they plan 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.