Wayanad advocate hangs himself after bank’s bid to seize his house amid high drama

tomy-bank-foreclosure-threat-story

Pulpally (Wayanad): M V Tomy, an advocate, took his own life here on Thursday after the bank from where he had availed a housing loan launched attachment procedures after he defaulted on repayments. Tomy (55), attached to the Bathery Bar, was a former public prosecutor and additional government pleader at the District Court. He resided at Mundattuchundayil, Irulam.

Tomy had availed a loan from the Pulpally branch of South Indian Bank to build a house on 5.5 cents of land he had purchased near Irulam town. Over the years, Tomy piled up a debt of Rs 16 lakh even after a one-settlement. Moreover, his younger daughter had recently left for Canada.

To clear all his debts, Tomy had decided to sell his house and land. On Thursday morning, Tomy’s wife Pushpa reached the bank with Rs 3 lakh to repay a part of the housing loan. However, bank officials reportedly refused to accept the money. Instead, they arrived at Tomy’s house in the afternoon with the police to attach his property.

With the help of a carpenter, measures were started to seal the house. Meanwhile, a relative of Tomy rushed to the bank and brought Pushpa back to the house. Subsequently, Pushpa refused to move out and when bank officials failed to force her out of the house, they agreed for a settlement. Neighbours, relatives and local body officials gathered at the spot.

Soon, an amount of Rs 4 lakh was collected by Tomy’s relatives and friends to be handed over to the bank officials.  “The officials left after taking the money. But, under the compromise formula, Tomy was supposed to repay the remaining amount within 10 days,” said a local activist who was involved in the negotiation along with some panchayat members.

Later in the evening, Tomy compelled his wife to go to her sister’s place and hanged himself in his house. 

Tomy’s funeral is scheduled to take place on Friday at St Sebastian’s Church, Irulam. Apart from his wife, Tomy is survived by daughters Anusmitha and Anusona and son-in-law Noble.

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