Bhadrak woman ‘assaulted’ by SHG members over loan installments after mother’s death

A woman from Aranji village under Ganijang panchayat in Bhadrak district has accused members of a local Self-Help Group (SHG) of brutally assaulting her over unpaid loan installments, even though the original borrower, her mother, died several months ago.

According to a complaint lodged at Bhadrak Rural Police Station, the victim, Monalisa Mohapatra, stated that her mother, Manorama Mohapatra, had borrowed Rs 70,000 from a village SHG named ‘Bajrangi Group’. Following her mother’s death due to paralysis in July this year, Monalisa said she had been regularly paying the monthly installment of Rs 2,830.

The complainant said she submitted her mother’s death certificate to the microfinance organisation that had provided the group loan, hoping the insurance cover would settle the remaining dues. However, she alleged that SHG members repeatedly demanded further installments even after the certificate was deposited.

Monalisa claimed that when she refused to pay the remaining amount until the insurance process was completed, several SHG members and their family members confronted her outside her house and assaulted her on Saturday morning. She suffered serious injuries in the attack.

The injured woman is currently undergoing treatment at Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital.

As per the rules, if a member who secured a loan dies, the insurance company bears the expenses if the necessary documents, including the death certificate, are submitted. 

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Police have registered a case based on her complaint and initiated an investigation into the alleged assault and the loan recovery pressure. No response has yet been received from the accused SHG members or their families.