Agartala, 31st October 2026 : A 47-year-old daily wage labourer and father of two, identified as Babul Barman, was found dead in a forest behind the Maheshkhala Panchayat office, in a tragic incident reportedly linked to mounting pressure over repayment of a microfinance loan installment of Rs 8,000.
According to family members, Barman had been facing difficulties arranging the installment amount despite making regular payments every month. His wife said the family had taken a loan of Rs 2 lakh from an organisation identified as Ujjwal, and financial difficulties had recently made repayment challenging.
Recounting the events leading up to the tragedy, his wife said she had repeatedly urged him to arrange the installment money, even suggesting that the family cut down on its daily expenses to meet the payment obligation. Barman reportedly managed to arrange some money and asked his wife to contribute the remaining amount.
She said she had managed to arrange around Rs 3,000 and requested the loan representative to accept the amount, assuring that the balance would be paid later. However, the installment dispute reportedly continued.
The family also recalled that Barman had refused to have dinner on the night before the incident, asking the others to eat and go to sleep. His wife said she was worried about his behaviour but could not anticipate the tragedy that followed.
Family members further alleged that the loan recovery representative had repeatedly insisted on payment, adding to the family’s distress. His wife recalled requesting the representative to accept whatever amount was available at the time.
The circumstances surrounding Barman’s death and the allegations of recovery pressure are expected to come under scrutiny. The incident has once again drawn attention to the financial hardships faced by daily wage earners and the need for responsible microfinance loan recovery practices.
