KARUR: In a shocking incident, two persons including a government employee allegedly committed suicide unable to pay the exorbitant interest demanded by money lenders. Refusing to receive the bodies, irate kin of the victims resorted to a road blockade on Thursday in front of the government hospital in Karur demanding action against money lenders who demanded exorbitant interest.
Sources said Manoharan (45) and his brother Annadurai (41) of Thanthonimalai, had taken `1 lakh each from money lenders Kuberan and Palanisamy. On Wednesday, the two were admitted in a private hospital after they consumed poison as the money lenders demanded hefty interest. While Manoharan died late on Wednesday night, Annadurai died in the wee hours of Thursday. Later, their bodies were shifted to the Karur GH for post-mortem.
Annadurai’s wife Dhanalakshmi alleged that the money lenders pestered the brothers demanding exorbitant interest. As they struggled to repay the debt, the two were often intimidated by henchmen, said to be employed by the money lenders. Both the brothers took this extreme step after they met the money lender on Wednesday.
Tension prevailed as kin of the victims blocked traffic for over an hour demanding the arrest of the money-lenders. Police held talks with the agitators and assured them of action against the culprits following which they dispersed. Pasupathipalayam police have registered a case against Kuberan and Palanisamy under the Prohibition of Exorbitant Interest Act and arrested them.