Two Arrested in Connection with Woman’s Suicide; Cyber Blackmail Revealed in Loan Repayment Case
Thane, 16th November 2023: Thane Railway Police have made two arrests in connection with the suicide of a young woman who jumped from a train at Diva Railway Junction. The investigation revealed that the victim had taken a loan from an online company, and the arrested duo had resorted to cyber blackmail by tampering with her photograph and creating an explicit video, which was sent to her relatives. The distress caused by this harassment is believed to have led to her tragic suicide.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Shankar Hajong (29) and Prasanjit Hajong (32), detained from Punjab and Assam, respectively. The 34-year-old victim, residing in the Diva area with her parents and employed at a company in Dombivli, took her own life on July 6 by jumping from a train near Diva Railway Junction. Her father filed a complaint, suspecting a connection between her suicide and an online loan from a private financial institution.
Senior Police Inspector Pandharinath Kande, leading the investigation at Thane Railway Police Station, initiated the probe with the assistance of the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell. The investigation spanned four months, uncovering distressing details.
It was revealed that the victim had borrowed ₹21,000 through a loan provider app in June, with a repayment deadline of seven days. Unable to meet the repayment terms, the victim faced persistent contact and threats from the loan company’s employees. In a sinister turn, the employees tampered with the victim’s photograph, creating an obscene video, which was then sent to her relatives. The victim, unable to endure the disgrace, took her own life on July 6 near Diva railway station.
The police, conducting a thorough technical analysis, traced the two executives responsible for the victim’s defamation. Shankar Hajong from Assam and Prasanjit Hajong from Punjab were arrested, and during interrogation, both confessed to their involvement. The search is now underway for the main accused in the case.
