Coronavirus Lockdown 3.0: Unable to repay loan, couple commits suicide in Bihar

The extended lockdown to contain COVID-19 is now having its cascading effect. A young couple in Bihar committed suicide after they failed to repay their loan.

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The tragic incident took place in Vaishali district where a 35-year-old businessman Ramesh Shah hanged himself shortly after his wife Suman set herself on fire and died.

The couple had borrowed a loan of Rs 5 lakh to hire a truck. The heavy motor vehicle was used for commercial purposes and helped the couple eke out their livelihood. Suman, through her earnings from the truck, used to repay the instalment of her loan.

However, ever since the lockdown came into force on March 24, her commercial activities took a nosedive. The ban on plying of vehicles only added to her woes so much so that the couple faced acute hardship in running their household.

In the meantime, lenders mounted pressure for early repayment of the loan. With no money to pay the loan instalment, Suman and Ramesh had a verbal altercation.

In a fit of rage, Suman set herself on fire. The husband made his best efforts to rescue her but Suman, by then, had received 90 per cent burn injuries. She succumbed while being rushed to the hospital. Shocked over his wife’s death, Ramesh hanged himself to death.

The couple has left behind two kids, Prince (10) and Sunny (7).

“Prima facie, it appears there was a tiff between husband and wife over non-payment of loan. The verbal duel apparently escalated which eventually led to the tragic incident,” said station house officer (SHO) of Sarai police station, Sunita Kumari. “The bodies have been sent to Hajipur Sadar Hospital for post-mortem,” the SHO added.