Elderly man kicked to death for failing to repay loan in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Chandikhol, Dec 9:

In a tragic incident, a 60-year-old Dalit man identified as Narahari Malik died after a finance company’s employees allegedly kicked at his belly for not depositing the interest of a loan in Jajpur district of Odisha on Thursday.

According to reports, the daughter-in-law of Narahari identified as Rekha Malik of Salapada village under Bairi police limits in the district had borrowed a loan from Annapurna Finance Company at Chandikhol for her SSG group.

Yesterday five employees of the company arrived at Narahari’s house to collect the last premium of Rs 1200 including an interest of Rs 200.

Rekha deposited Rs 1000 and her father-in-law requested them to allow her to deposit the rest Rs 200 interest amount on Friday following which a heated exchange of words erupted and an employee kicked at his belly, sources said.

The victim fell down and breathed his last at the spot.

Taking the advantage of darkness, the accused along with other two managed to flee the spot while two employees identified as Jyoti Ranjan Giri of Nayagarh and Sanjay Kumar Mangaral of Khurda were overpowered by the irate villagers with their conveyance and tied inside a house.

Police reached at the spot following the incident and rescued the two detained by the villagers.

The cops faced stiff opposition for not interfering in the mater. Irate villagers gheraoed police officials and deflated the tyres of police van.

They also staged a road blockade burning tyres following which the local Tehsildar arrived at the spot about 9.15 pm but no solution was drawn till late night.