Loan sharks driving victims to death in Gujarat

Believe it or not, several families in the city are caught up in the vicious high interest rate and loan trap laid by illegal moneylenders. The lenders lend a certain amount to those in need and then trap them in a vicious circle of ever outstanding dues.

At times so severe is the harassment meted out by moneylenders against defaulters that some are forced to end their life to escape the misery.

There are around 1,000 licensed moneylenders in the city. However, there a number of illegal moneylenders who exploit thousands of those who happen to borrow money from them.

The recent deaths of Pankaj Jadhav, Atul Shah and Ravi Patel in the city have once again revealed the torture and harassment that the borrowers are subjected to by illegal moneylenders. Police in the western part of the city have tried to get details of the legal and illegal moneylenders. But so far, they have failed to take any concrete actions against anyone.

Seemingly, police might have taken a serious note of the recent incidents; they continue to sit on the information of the illegal moneylenders.

Sandeep Singh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), zone-I, told DNA that they will check whether the money lending was carried out as per government notification or not. They would also keep an eye on the business of licence holders and check if they had their licences renewed or not. Police have collected information about all the moneylenders active in areas like Vejalpur, Satellite, Vastrapur, Navrangpura, Ghatlodia and Sola.