CHENNAI: A 27-year-old finance influencer died by suicide at a villa near Muttukadu on Monday night, weeks after his Instagram page and YouTube channel with 1.5 million followers were blocked. Police are probing whether online harassment following recent allegations that he was offering financial advice and investment-related services without the SEBI registration may have contributed to his death.
The deceased, V Harish of Puducherry, ran the YouTube channel ‘Finance with Harish’, where he posted content on finance and investments. His five-year-old channel was reportedly mass-reported and blocked in September. He subsequently launched a new channel, which police sources said was also reported and blocked.
Police said Harish was found dead at the villa on Monday night. Though no suicide note was recovered, Harish’s father J Vinayagam (51), in a police complaint, said his son had allegedly been subjected to cyberbullying by another YouTuber who he named as being responsible for Harish’s death.
Before his death, Harish had recorded a video in which he allegedly identified the YouTuber as the reason for his decision, he said in the complaint. Vinayagam alleged that he circulated defamatory content about his son through and thet Harish had been unable to cope with the mental distress.
In a video uploaded on October 18, the YouTuber had alleged that Harish had misled people by offering financial advisory services without being registered with SEBI as a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA). Meanwhile, Kanathur police have registered a case of unnatural death and are examining the allegations made by both sides.
(In case of suicidal thoughts, contact Sneha helpline at 044-24640050)