KOCHI: A tragic incident at Aruvappara in Vengoor near Perumbavoor has drawn attention to the dangers of fraudulent loan apps. Aarathi, 31, died by suicide after allegedly borrowing money from an online loan platform. The police recovered disturbing evidence on her mobile phone, including threatening messages and calls.
On Tuesday afternoon, Aarathi, wife of Aneesh, was found hanging in the bedroom of their home at Aruvappara. She was declared dead at the hospital. Her brother-in-law, Ajeesh, said that the family had no known financial troubles. “My brother Aneesh works in Kuwait and regularly sends money for family expenses and savings. Aarathi had been depressed for weeks but had not shared her struggles,” Ajeesh said.
The police investigation revealed that Aarathi had been receiving threatening messages from international numbers. “We saw chats where one message threatened to circulate morphed images of Aarathi. In response, she warned of suicide if her pictures were edited and circulated. We later learnt that these morphed images had been sent to Aneesh. When he tried to reach Aarathi and couldn’t, he alerted relatives, who found her hanging,” Ajeesh said.
Relatives said that at present there is no money in Aarathi’s bank account. Lately, Rs 6,500 was debited from her account. The police found that she had taken a loan of Rs 6,000 from an app for immediate needs. “Even after repaying the loan, she continued to receive threats from multiple international numbers. We’ve sent her phone for forensic analysis and are tracking the numbers involved,” said a cop.
The body of Aarathi, a mother of two young sons aged eight and three, was cremated on Wednesday after postmortem examiniation. The incident echoes a similar tragedy last year in Kadamakuddy, where a family also succumbed to threats from a bogus loan app.
Cyber law expert Jiyas Jamal criticised the ongoing presence of fraudulent apps on the Google Play Store and called for stronger action against online platforms. “Despite directives to filter out such apps, Google has not implemented effective measures. Social media platforms also fail to address advertisements for dubious loans and investments. Authorities must enforce actions against these platforms to prevent further harm. Many of these apps are linked to China and operated through call centres in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand,” Jamal said.