UP Youth Assaulted by Moneylenders, Forced to Lick Spit Dies by Suicide

In a video that has gone viral, the deceased's cousin said he had taken loan of Rs 3 lakh from two moneylenders for his shop's expansion. The moneylenders who were harassing him for delaying payments of loan interest, assaulted him and made him lick spit from slippers on Sunday, the cousin alleged.

Prayagraj:A youth allegedly died by suicide in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj district due to harassment by moneylenders on Monday. His cousin made a video accusing the money lenders of abetting suicide and alleged that they had spit on the youth's slippers and forced him to lick it.

The incident took place in Ghurpur area of Yamuna Nagar of Sangam city in Prayagraj. The deceased, Vidyakant Yadav, ran a sweet shop in the local market. He had taken a loan of Rs 3 lakh at 10 percent interest rate from two moneylenders around eight months ago for expanding his shop.

Vidyakanth paid the interest for three months after which, he could not continue the payments. It is being alleged that the moneylenders assaulted and abused Vidyakant for this.

After Vidyakant's death, his cousin, Shyam Yadav, made a video of the alleged atrocities of the moneylenders and uploaded it on social media. Shyam alleged that even after a panchayat meeting was held in the police station on February 28, the moneylenders came to the shop on March 3 and forcibly took Vidyakant with them. After which, the accused beat him up, spit on his slippers and forced him to lick it, Shyam alleged.

When Vidyakant went to the police station to complain, the moneylenders were already present there. Shyam alleged that Vidyakant's complaint was not heard and his mobile phone was also taken away. Fed up with the harassments and insults, he returned home and ended his life, Shyam said.

On the basis of Vidyakant's father's complaint, police have registered a case against moneylender Sunny and another individual and searches have been initiated for them.

His father said that Vidyakant was his only son and they were making arrangements for his daughter's wedding in April. Also, Vidyakant's wife is pregnant, he said. He has appealed to police to take strict action against those who forced his son to die.

DCP Yamuna Nagar Shraddha N Pandey said that a case has been registered and investigations are underway. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty, Pandey said.

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