New Delhi: Two brothers, both jewelers after suffering financial losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown, allegedly hanged themselves at their shop in Chandni Chowk, Delhi on Wednesday afternoon.
The brothers, aged 47 and 42, left behind a “suicide note”, in which they blamed their “poor financial condition” for their step but did not “name” any person, police said.
Family members and employees, however, alleged the brothers were “thrashed” and “threatened” by the musclemen of a private financer from whom they had taken a loan but were not able to repay it or pay the monthly interest because of losses due to the pandemic, said a police officer.
“The family verbally made the allegations. Their statements are being recorded in writing. The allegations will be verified and further action will be taken accordingly,” deputy commissioner of police New Delhi (north) Monika Bhardwaj said.
“An employee saw the two brothers hanging and raised an alarm. Their father was on the first floor at that time,” Bhardwaj added.
Speaking to media persons, the father and another brother of the two jewelers alleged they were being threatened by a local businessman and his associate, and the two hanged themselves because of the torture.
He alleged that his two brothers were being harassed daily since the lockdown. “When business was shut during the lockdown, how could have they paid the money,” he said.