Farmer crushed to death as loan recovery agents snatch tractor

LUCKNOW: Loan recovery agents allegedly crushed a Dalit farmer under a tractor in Sitapur on Saturday when he failed to deposit arrear of the loan he had taken from a finance company, the police quoted the victim’s brother as saying.

Assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Sitapur, Martand Prakash Singh said an FIR had been lodged against five recovery agents of the finance company in connection with the case. “Teams have been formed to nab the absconding accused,” he said. Police said Gyan Chandra (45) of Bhauri village in Sitapur had taken a loan of Rs 5 lakh from a finance company in 2015 to purchase a tractor. He paid back Rs 4 lakh till December 2017

WHEN AGENTS WERE TAKING THE VEHICLE, THE FARMER’S HAND SLIPPED FROM THE BONNET AND HE CAME UNDER THE WHEELS OF THE TRACTOR AND DIED

and assured the company that he would pay the remaining amount soon.

Gyan Chandra’s wife Gyanwati said her husband deposited an instalment of Rs 35,000 in the first week of January too but the company issued a recovery notice. Police said five agents of the company reached Gyan Chandra’s house on Saturday to collect the dues.

According to Om Prakash, brother of Gyan Chandra, when his family members told the agents that he was in the field of a panchayat member Raj Kishore with the tractor, they reached there and asked him to either pay the due amount or hand over the tractor to them.

Gyan Chandra told the agents that he had deposited Rs 35,000 earlier this month and would pay Rs 65,000 by January-end, said Om Prakash.

He said the agents refused to entertain his plea and pulled him down after snatching the tractor’s key from him. While Gyan Chandra caught the tractor’s bonnet, they started the vehicle, dragging him along the vehicle, Om Prakash said and added: “Gyan Chandra’s hand slipped suddenly from the bonnet and he came under the wheels of the tractor and died on the spot.”

The villagers then informed UP 100 about the incident.

Angry over the farmer’s death, the villagers staged a dharna and did not allow the police to send the body for postmortem examination. The villagers called off their agitation after senior officials of the district and police administration reached the village and assured action against the culprits.

Sub-divisional magistrate Rati Ram said the state government would provide compensation to the family of the deceased.

“I have lodged an FIR against loan recovery agents Amit Kumar, Sudhir, Ramji and their two associates under sections 342, 394 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Mahmudabad police station,” said Om Prakash.

Gyan Chandra is survived by his wife and five daughters. The eldest daughter Aarti (12) is mentally challenged while the youngest is one year old.

Om Prakash demanded strict action against the finance company and said the government should pay adequate compensation to Gyan Chandra’s family.

The Sitapur ASP said the police had detained six officials and employees of the finance company for interrogation. “Raids are on to arrest the absconding accused,” he said.