Engineering student in Bengaluru dies by suicide, allegedly harassed by loan apps

Bengaluru witnessed a heart-wrenching incident as a 22-year-old mechanical engineering student took his own life at his residence on Tuesday. The deceased, identified as Thejas Nair, was a sixth-semester engineering student enrolled in a private college near Yelahanka.

His decision was reportedly driven by mounting loan debts and the relentless harassment inflicted upon him by recovery agents associated with three instant loan apps.

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Thejas, a resident of HMT Staff Quarters in Jalahalli, had apparently borrowed a sum of approximately Rs 46,000, which he struggled to repay. Thejas’s father, Gopinath Nair, narrated how he discovered the distressing situation when Thejas approached him for money, prompting a confrontation that revealed the extent of his son’s plight.

The harassment endured by Thejas escalated when he failed to meet the repayment demands.“After Thejas did not pay up, some miscreants created morphed images of Thejas and started to share them with his friends and relatives. He paid Rs 4,000 and I told him to focus on his studies but he gave up his life,” his father said.

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The incident came to light when Gopinath returned home after dropping his daughter off at a nearby tuition center. Upon discovering Thejas’s condition, he rushed him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.

After filing a complaint, Gopinath prompted a preliminary investigation by the Jalahalli police, who have registered a case of unnatural death. The authorities aim to uncover the complete picture of Thejas’s borrowing activities, including repayment details, by examining his mobile phone and involving the cybercrime department.

In a note left behind by Thejas, he expressed the primary reason for his action. “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,” the note read.