Bengaluru engineering student dies by suicide, Family alleges harassment by loan apps

New Delhi: A tragic incident unfolded in Bengaluru as a 22-year-old engineering student took his own life at his residence, allegedly due to harassment by recovery agents over outstanding loans borrowed from instant loan apps. 

The deceased, identified as Thejas Nair, was a sixth-semester mechanical engineering student at a private college near Yelahanka. The police discovered a note by Thejas explaining that his decision was driven by his inability to repay the loans.

The incident came to light on Tuesday around 7 pm when Thejas’s father, Gopinath Nair, returned home after dropping his daughter at a nearby tuition center. Upon finding his son in distress, Gopinath rushed him to a hospital, but tragically, Thejas was declared dead upon arrival.

Following Gopinath’s complaint, the Jalahalli police registered a case of unnatural death and initiated a preliminary investigation. They aim to determine the extent of Thejas’s borrowing activities, repayment details, and other pertinent information. Thejas’s mobile phone will also be sent to the cybercrime department for further examination.

In the note left behind by Thejas, he expressed remorse to his parents and cited his inability to repay the loans as the driving factor behind his decision. His poignant words read, “I am sorry, Mom and Dad, for whatever I did. I have no other choice than this. I am unable to pay other loans that are there in my name, and this is my final decision. Goodbye.”

While speaking to the media, Gopinath revealed that his family was unaware of the loans until a relative informed him after Thejas approached them for money. Gopinath confronted his son and discovered the distressing situation he had been facing.

Thejas initially borrowed the money to assist a friend who had promised to repay the installments but failed to do so. Subsequently, miscreants created morphed images of Thejas, which were shared with his friends and relatives. In an attempt to resolve the situation, Thejas paid Rs 4,000, but the harassment persisted. Despite his father’s advice to focus on his studies, Thejas ultimately succumbed to the immense pressure he felt, leading to his tragic decision.