TIRUNELVELI: With the burns caused by the death of Isakkimuthu, his wife and two daughters still fresh in people’s mind, another family attempted suicide in front of the collectorate here on Thursday.
This time also the reason is same- torture at the hands of a usurer.
The policemen, who were on duty on the collectorate premises thwarted the attempt of Aruldoss (35), who tried to immolate self after dousing his wife Mariammal (28), daughter Dhanalakshmi (8), and sons Isakkiraja (7) and Suriyaprakash with kerosene. They were later taken to Tirunelveli Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
Aruldoss, a painter by profession, told media persons that he was beaten up and tortured by the moneylender in Melakulavanikarpuram. He said that the moneylender was demanding exorbitant interest rate for the Rs 50,000 loan he took from him some five years ago.
Aruldoss claimed that he had paid Rs 2 lakh towards repayment of the loan, but the moneylender was still demanding an additional Rs 1.5 lakh. He said that the moneylender came to his house on Thursday morning demanding the sum and, when Aruldoss refused, beat him up.
Palayamkottai police have registered a case and started an investigation.
It was on On October 23 2017, that Isakkimuthu and his family committed suicide by immolating themselves on the collectorate premises after Achanputhur police allegedly refused to take action against a usurer.