Burdened by debt, robbed of all hope, businessmen in Gujarat turn to death for relief
Reeling under rising debt, businessmen and traders in State are losing hope for a better future in the times of coronavirus. Unable to repay loan instalments due to lack of income, three businessmen claimed their own lives in 24 hours, Reports Ahmedabad Mirror.
There is very little that can faze Gujaratis who are known for their resilient spirit and their resourcefulness. However, three months into an unprecedented health crisis, multiple extensions of Covid lockdown has left traders and businessmen with no business opportunities, no money, and a mound of debt. With no way to pay back instalments, three businessmen – one in Ahmedabad and two in Rajkot – have killed themselves in 24 hours.
When Saket Tibrewal received a call from his father in the morning, he had no clue that it would be the last time he spoke to his father. The 38-year-old plywood businessman, who was attending a video-conference at his office on C G Road, told his father that he would get free and be home in about half an hour. True to his word, Saket parked his car and was walking towards his building when he heard a loud thud. For a second, he could not process the scene before him. Lying before him was the body of his father who had jumped off the terrace of the 12-storeyed building in Safal Parivesh, Prahladnagar. In a note he left behind, Sushil Tibrewal, a chemical businessman, blamed pressure from a money lender for taking the extreme step. He claimed that he had been received frequent threats over the phone from the money lender. However, he could not get the money due to the lockdown and its after-effects. When the money lender reportedly threatened his family, the 68-year-old decided to take his own life.
Saket told Mirror, “My father left behind a note in the cabinet. He said he had borrowed Rs 20 lakh at 5 per cent interest from Om Prakash Punjabi. My father wrote that he had ended up repaying more than Rs 1 crore. Despite this, Punjabi threatened to kill my father and other family members if he was not paid more. My father could not bear the threat against the family and ended his life.” Anandnagar police have registered a case of accidental death. Saket told police that the lockdown had put a lot of financial pressure on his father and he had been very tense for the past one month. Saket told Mirror, “I knew of Punjabi as an acquaintance of my father. I had no idea he was a money lender. I found out that my father was in debt after reading his note.” Anandnagar police said, “The suicide is being investigated and charge of abetment to suicide will be framed based on evidence.” Meanwhile, unable to earn any money due to lockdown and repay their loan instalments, two people took their lives in Rajkot.
Deaths in Rajkot In separate incidents Jayantibhai Bhalani, owner of a small factory, and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, who owned a transport business, killed themselves after being unable to pay instalments on their loans. Jadeja, 47, had four trucks that he used to make delivery runs for industries. His elder brother Dashrathsinh said, “There were two big trucks of 10-tonne capacity and two smaller trucks. He had a well established business and had already paid back loans for two trucks. However, his business suffered when the lockdown was imposed. Six instalments on the remaining two trucks mounted. Even when the lockdown removed, business was slow.” Dashrathsinh added, “My brother used to transport goods to Maharashtra, but there were no takers for it any more. He was very worried about the unpaid instalments. He was rued the rising fuel prices.”
Dharmendrasinh hanged himself in his office ASI Narendra Bhadrecha of Rajkot’s Bhaktinagar Police Station said, “Dharmendrasinh went to his office on Kothariya Ring Road late on Monday and hanged himself there. When the servant came in the morning to clean the office, she was surprised to see the shutter half open. She didn’t give it much thought and began cleaning the office which has two cabins. It was when she reached the second cabin that she realised that Dharmendrasinh’s body was hanging there.” Dharmendrasinh is survived by his wife, an 18-year-old daughter and 10- year-old son. Meanwhile, Jayantibhai, 51, killed himself by jumping into a well on the neighbouring farm in Tramba village. Rajkot is a hub of mechanical industries, where hundreds of small factory owners buy 1-2 CNC machines and get job work from larger industries. A CNC machine usually costs between Rs 10 to 20 lakh. On a regular day, factory owners have enough work to operate in three shifts. PSI G N Vaghela said, “Jayantibhai had.
bought the machine on loan for Rs 13 lakh two years ago. Due to lockdown, business ground to a halt. Even after lockdown lifted, small units barely got any jobs. Jayantibhai was unable to pay the instalments. Meanwhile, he also had to incur maintenance expense on the machine. Mounting expenses, debt and lack of income drove Jayantibhai to take his life.” He left a suicide note saying he had killed himself as he had exhausted his finances and could not instalments. ASI Bhadrecha said, “On an average, 15-20 people attempt to kill themselves every day in Rajkot mostly due to economic crisis. Some survive, some don’t.” If you need help, CALL If you are someone who is being harassed by loan sharks, or a person who has not received money that you lent to someone, you can either approach the concerned police station. You can also dial control no. 100 or police control room at 25630100/200 for help.
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Karnataka power tussle: BJP leader calls Siddaramaiah 'Sultan for 15 days'
Bengaluru/Bagalkot (PTI): In the midst of the ongoing power tussle within the ruling Congress in Karnataka, senior BJP leader and MP Govind Karjol called CM Siddaramaiah "Pandrah din-ka-Sultan" (Sultan for 15 days), and said after that, he will not be the chief minister of the state.
Speculation has once again surfaced within the Congress party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for Assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, are announced.
"With the fight for the CM chair in the Congress, there seems to be no administration at Vidhana Soudha. The result for Siddaramaiah's CM chair fight will also be declared, along with election results for five states (four states and one union territory) and bypoll results for Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly seats in Karnataka," Karjol, a former Deputy CM, said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "As per today's information, Siddaramaiah is a Sardar for fifteen days, he is Pandrah din-ka-Sultan, after that Siddaramaiah will not be the chief minister of the state."
Stating that Shivakumar is ready to take up the top job, the MP said that this is the reason Siddaramaiah's supporters have gone to New Delhi to meet the Congress President.
"Already 40-odd legislators have lobbied in support of Siddaramaiah; about 50 are lobbying in support of Shivakumar. Amid this fight for the CM chair, the administration has completely collapsed," he said, urging the government to focus on addressing drinking water issues in various parts of the state amid summer by releasing at least Rs 50 crore per district.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Monday met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary (in charge of Karnataka) Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi and requested them to address the speculation regarding the change of leadership in Karnataka.
Subsequently, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa too met the party leadership in Delhi.
Both Jarkiholi and Mahadevappa are considered close to Siddaramaiah.
While MLAs and leaders who want Shivakumar to be elevated as CM have recently claimed they expect some "sweet news" by May 15, which is their leader's birthday.
Meanwhile, a team of 40 MLAs is preparing to visit New Delhi to press the Congress high command for a Cabinet reshuffle.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka hit out at the Congress leadership for indulging in "power tussle" instead of addressing the people's concerns. He called the government "anti-people" and "dead" to the people of the state.
With the fight for the CM chair, the ruling Congress in Karnataka seems to be shifting to Delhi. Congress MLAs are repeatedly touring Delhi, upset over the state leadership amid a power struggle between the CM and Deputy CM. This proves that there is no value for the state leadership," he said.
Pointing out that the Deputy CM Shivakumar was not present at the recent special cabinet meeting, which decided on internal reservation among SCs, the opposition leader said, "If the cabinet meeting was held purposely, despite knowing that Shivakumar was in Delhi, it proves that there are factions within the party"
"This government is dead in a way," he said, as he hit out at the Congress MLAs and Ministers, including Shivakumar, for doing "Delhi Yatras" instead of addressing drinking water issues in various parts of the state amid summer, picking up in the state.
