Woman ends life due to harassment by moneylenders in Madurai

In a shocking incident, a 41-year-old woman, R. Prema of Sellur, died by suicide after she was harassed by four moneylenders.Police said the woman had given a dying declaration to a Judicial Magistrate about four moneylenders, identified as Tirupathi, Selva Kalaiyarasi, 36, Bhavavathi and Angammal.The police have arrested Kalaiyarasi.The police said the deceased used to sell vegetables and work in a shop near Teppakulam. She had borrowed around ₹2 lakh from the accused persons in 2021.Though she had been repaying the instalments, she could not do it in recent months, following which the moneylenders harassed her with abusive language and intimidation. This forced the woman to take the extreme step on July 13.The woman was admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital, where she died on Tuesday.Meanwhile, Vilakkuthoon police registered a case on Sunday based on a complaint lodged by Prema’s husband S. Rajaram. The police booked the accused for criminal intimidation, and under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Exorbitant Interest Act, 2003. Published - July 21, 2026 06:51 pm IST