VIJAYAWADA: Seven persons have been arrested after an auto-rickshaw driver committed suicide feeling humiliated over derogatory messages sent on his mobile phone and a number of phone calls by loan app agents abusing him.
Vijayawada DCP Vishal Gunni told media here on Thursday that soon after the suicide by auto-driver Manikanta, they investigated the background. They then formed five special teams and sent them to Mumbai, Bhopal, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Ghaziabad.
The DCP said though the auto-driver had taken a loan of ₹88,400, he had repaid ₹42,000. While Manikanta was making efforts to repay the remaining amount, the loan app agents started harassing him. This compelled the auto-driver to end his life.
Vishal said their investigations led them to one main loan app along with 32 small apps. They extended loans to people and soon started harassing them for repayment.
The DCP said they have frozen 138 bank accounts. They have also written to Google to remove loan apps from its Play Store.
The arrested have been identified as Shohail, Latif, Naveen, Shankarappa, Arun Mathur, Anurag Singh and Ritwik Ahiwar.
