Boy Held Hostage for 14 Days over Repayment of Loan by His Mother in Jharkhand's Garhwa

A 16-year-old boy was held hostage for not repaying the a loan in Jharkhand's Garhwa. The manager of a microfinance company kept the boy in captivity for 14 days as his mother had failed to repay the loan. During this time, the boy was abused and tortured. Based on a complaint, the police arrested the accused and launched a probe into the incident.

Palamu (Jharkhand): The police launched an investigation into the case of a 16-year-old boy being allegedly held hostage for 14 days for non-payment of a loan in the Bhavnathpur area of Garhwa, Jharkhand. After learning about the incident, the microfinance company suspended the accused bank manager and is also conducting an internal probe into the incident.

The company has also written a letter to Jharkhand's DGP and Garhwa SP regarding the incident. The company says that this incident happened at the personal level of the bank manager. Meanwhile, the Child Welfare Committee also started a separate investigation into the entire matter. The police team is interrogating the accused bank manager.

In fact, in the Bhavanathpur area of Garhwa, the manager and other employees of a microfinance company had taken a child hostage for not repaying the loan. During this, the child was made to pick up empty utensils and liquor bottles. Based on a complaint, the police arrested the accused bank manager, while one of the accused is absconding.

Meanwhile, the Garhwa Police formed a special team while the responsibility of investigation has also been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee. Taking action in the entire matter, the company has suspended the accused bank manager with immediate effect and an internal inquiry has also been started against him.

"The company is registered with RBI, and whatever has happened it has occurred at the personal level of the bank manager, hence, the manager has been suspended, and an inquiry has been ordered," said Ashwini Kumar Parikh, member, of the Legal Team, Microfinance Company.

A woman resident of Rohaniya of Bhavnathpur Police Station area of Garhwa had taken a loan of Rs 40,000 from a microfinance company and repaid Rs 22,000. But Nigam Yadav, the manager of the microfinance company, was reported to exert pressure on the woman to return the remaining amount.

One day the company employees went to the woman's house and brought her child with them. The employees of the microfinance company kept the boy with them for about two weeks.

Local villagers and the woman informed the Garhwa police about the incident, after which the boy was saved and the accused bank manager Nigam Yadav was arrested. It was told by the police that a special team had been formed to investigate the incident.

A special team has been formed and the information about the entire incident has also been provided to the CWC, in turn, the CWC is also probing the incident, said Deepak Kumar Pandey, Garhwa SP.