DAVANAGERE: Despite the state government bringing in laws to curb harassment by private finance companies and moneylenders, there seems no end to the highhandedness of such firms.
A poor family at Chikka Togaleri Camp in the taluk was evicted from their house and thrown on to the street in the clothes they were wearing as four installments of their loan were due. The family, which was already struggling with no money for their son’s treatment in the hospital, now doesn’t even have a house to live in. Currently, this family has been forced to live in a cattle shed.
The entire family has now ended up on the streets due to the atrocity of a private finance company. Their house is locked and a notice pasted on it while the family members sitting in front of the house with small children, not knowing what to do next.
Basavarajappa from Chikka Togaleri Camp village had taken a home loan of Rs 5 lakh from a private finance company in December 2023. Though they were a poor family, they worked as daily wage laborers and paid the Rs 11,000 monthly installment without fail. So far, they had paid more than Rs 2.80 lakh.
But four months ago, Basavarajappa’s son, who was the backbone of the family, met with a serious accident. With hospital expenses on one side and household expenses on the other, they were unable to pay four installments. Even though the poor family pleaded with folded hands asking for some time to repay the loan, the private finance staff showed no mercy.
On Thursday, evening the firm staff suddenly barged into the house, threw the women and small children out of the house in the clothes they were wearing, locked the door and seized the house.
“Because of this, we are now living in a cattle shed, in the wind and rain,” the family members said in tears.Meanwhile, the condition of the family that lost their home is pathetic. Small children and elderly people are now forced to live in a cattle shed”, Komala, the affected victim said.
In this backdrop, leaders of the Raitha Sangha has stood in support of the family and are demanding action against the finance company. The family had said that 4 installments were pending and that they would pay the money. But the finance staff threw out the family members, including women and children, and sealed the house.
Farmer leader Gummanur Basavaraj has urged the government and district administration to immediately intervene in this injustice done to the poor family, investigate the case, and provide justice. It remains to be seen what strict action the district administration will take against this private finance company that committed atrocities by flouting government rules.
