The woman belonged to a self-help group and had taken a loan of Rs 27,000 (Representational)
Unable to bear alleged harassment by loan collection agents of a private bank, a woman hanged herself in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvannamalai district, some 190 kilometres from Chennai.
It is alleged the collection agents used abusive language against the woman, who had borrowed Rs 27,000 from private bank for a tenure of three months, to be repaid in instalments.
Investigators said that Thenmozhi was a member of a self-help group and she had taken the loan to treat her husband Sekar, whose kidney was failing. She was unable to repay the loan.
Three collection agents who had been demanding her to pay up came to her house on Monday. They allegedly used abusive language.
Thenmozhi then "rushed into her room and locked herself". "Her husband was sitting outside. It was too late when others sensed something wrong. The collection agents fled when they saw her dead," a police officer said.
Police have filed a case and are investigating the matter.