Hunsur: Unable to bear frequent abuses from a money lender, a shop owner after uploading a voice message on his WhatsApp status, committed suicide by setting himself on fire along with his bike in a forest area near Hosakote Koppal village in Saligrama taluk on Mar. 19.

The incident came to light when a relative met the victim’s wife and told her about the WhatsApp voice message status on Mar. 20.

The deceased shop owner is H.C. Harish (40), a resident of Harave village, Gavadagere hobli in Hunsur taluk. The money lender, who used to harass and abuse Harish, leading to him (Harish) committing suicide, is Ravi Saliana alias Ole Ravi of Hunsur and a case has been registered against Ravi and his brother Chinnu alias  Chinnaswamy.

Harish, who was running a petty shop at Doddakoppal in Saligrama taluk, had reportedly taken a loan of Rs. 1 lakh for his business about a year ago and used to pay interest along with a part of the principal amount every month regularly. But due to some problems, Harish had not paid the money since three months. As Harish had not paid the interest and the principal amount, Ravi and his brother Chinnu began to abuse Harish whenever and wherever they met him, it is learnt.

On Mar. 12 too, Ravi and Chinnu are said to have abused Harish besides allegedly threatening him with life. On Mar. 19, Harish left his house at Harave village on his bike (KA-45-R-5023) to his shop at Doddakoppal.

As Harish did not come home even after 9 pm, his wife Sunitha called his mobile phone during which Harish is said to have told his wife that he was being abused frequently by Ravi and his people besides telling her that he wanted to end his life. Harish did not come home on that day.

The next day (Mar. 20), one of the relatives of Harish met Sunitha and told her about the voice message Harish had uploaded as his WhatsApp status which stated that Ravi was responsible for his death, following which Harish’s family members and relatives began to search him.

While searching for Harish, they found the charred body of Harish and his bike in Survey No. 202 of the forest area on Malali Road.

Based on the complaint from Sunitha, Saligrama Police, who have registered a case in this regard, are investigating.