THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the drive against loan sharks losing the steam, money lending rackets have started rearing their heads in the rural areas of the district.
A moneylender allegedly assaulted a three-member family, including a 33-year-old woman and a nine-year-old girl at Neyyattinkara on Monday evening for defaulting on payment of the monthly interest.
The incident occurred at Kavalakulam near Neyyattinkara around 8 pm. The accused Vimalkumar visited the residence of Anilkumar, the borrower, to collect the monthly interest. At that time, only Anilkumar’s wife Sreeja and his daughter Anusree were at home. Vimalkumar allegedly barged into the house and kicked Sreeja. When Anusree tried to stop him, she was also assaulted. Alerted by the neighbours, Anilkumar rushed to the house and he was also brutally assaulted. All the three were admitted to the General hospital in Neyyattinkara.
Neyyattinkara police have registered a case. “The accused has gone absconding. However, we have information about his whereabouts”, said sub-inspector S V Sujith. He said the police would search the houses of illegal moneylenders in Neyyattinkara to curb the money lending racket.