A tragic incident has unfolded in Ludhiana, Punjab, where a business couple, Jasbir Singh, 60, and Kuldeep Kaur, 59, died by suicide, allegedly driven to the brink by relentless harassment from bank officials over a loan repayment. The couple, residents of Harbanspura, consumed poison at their clothing shop in Gandhi Nagar, a major wholesale market in the state, on Thursday.
According to reports, Jasbir Singh and Kuldeep Kaur had taken a loan against property (LAP) of approximately Rs 2.35 crore from a private bank to support their hosiery business. Their son stated that they had diligently paid 55 EMIs. However, a single delayed installment this month due to financial constraints triggered what the family describes as unbearable harassment by the bank's recovery agents. The son claimed his parents were bombarded with over 200 calls daily and were constantly pursued and confronted by recovery officials until late in the evening.
The couple left behind a suicide note explicitly blaming bank officials for the mental torture and humiliation they endured. The note detailed allegations of abusive behavior and threats, including claims that the bank threatened to seize their home. ADCP-1 Sameer Verma confirmed that the suicide note had been taken into custody, and an investigation into the allegations is underway.
Just a week before the tragic event, the bank's recovery team allegedly visited the couple's residence in Harbanspura and reportedly misbehaved with them. When their son intervened, he was also threatened, and the bank officials allegedly spoke about taking over their property.
The incident came to light on Thursday morning when the couple's son found them unconscious in their shop. They managed to tell him they had consumed poison before losing consciousness. He rushed them to DMC Hospital, where they were declared dead.
Police have registered a case and initiated a thorough investigation. Inspector Gagandeep Singh, SHO of Division No. 4 police station, confirmed the recovery of the suicide note and stated that strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible for the couple's death. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
In a video message recorded before consuming the poison, Jasbir Singh identified officials from IDFC-FIRST Bank as being responsible for the extreme humiliation that drove them to suicide. He stated that despite repaying 55 installments, the bank officials did not honor his age and position and harassed him to an unbearable extent. Based on the video and the statement from the couple's son, police have booked Naresh Sharma, branch manager of IDFC-FIRST Bank, Feroze Gandhi Market branch, and two unidentified bank employees for abetment to suicide.
This incident underscores the immense pressure and mental distress that individuals can face when dealing with loan repayments and recovery efforts. It also raises concerns about the ethical practices of banks and recovery agents in handling loan defaulters. Authorities have assured a detailed probe into the matter, and further updates are awaited as the investigation progresses.
