The recently promulgated
Ordinance to curb the arm-twisting methods of microfinance institutions has been eagerly grasped by some people who want to put the MFIs on the back foot.
On Thursday, relatives of a 32-year-old man linked his jaundice-related death to MFI harassment, claiming that since the victim V Zachariah was unable to spend money on his treatment, the MFIs should be held responsible for his death.
According to Duggirala Station House Officer Kumar, Zachariah had been suffering from jaundice since the past fortnight, and had tried various herbal treatments.
By the time he realized that his health was not improving and turned to a private hospital in Mangalagiri for treatment, the disease had spread. Doctors at the private hospital advised his family to rush him to a hospital in Guntur.
Zachariah died while being shifted to Guntur.
His relatives, however, claimed that Zachariah had spent all his earnings on repaying the loans taken from the MFI, Spandana.
Police reached the spot on getting information, and shifted victim to hospital for autopsy.
A case has been registered, and further investigations are on.
Courtesy: INN