BAGEPALLI, 20 MARCH

A businessman at Pulavrapalli, near Bagepalli, died by suicide on Thursday after he was harassed by some private moneylenders.

Police said the victim, Bhaskar, 55, had borrowed money from money lenders at high interest rates. Four moneylenders went to his shop on Wednesday evening, demanding interest payment, and threatened him with dire consequences, they said.

Bhaskar is learnt to have left a death note, saying that he was taking the extreme step because he could not withstand harassment by the four moneylenders.

Bagepalli police have registered a case and are further probing. 

This is the third such incident in the recent past in Chikkaballapur district where private moneylenders and agents of micro finance agencies have been allegedly harassing people and their family members. 

On 16 March, Manjunath, a resident of M Jalahalli in Gauribidanur taluk, hanged himself after a few micro finance agents visited his house seeking payment of interest.