Bursting of Saradha Group snatches second life
The bursting of chit fund-based Saradha Group has so far claimed at least two lives in West Bengal, with death of a 50-year-old domestic help being the latest.
According to emerging media reports, Urmila Pramanik immolated herself yesterday over fears that she wouldn't get back her life savings that she had invested in the Saradha Group. She was rushed to Calcutta Medical College & Hospital, where she succumbed to burn injuries.
Urmila, who had lost her husband when her son was just two-month old, had deposited Rs 30,000 with the sham company in the year 2010. She had invested the money, which she had saved over the past two decades by working in households, in three equal installments of Rs 10,000 each in the Saradha Group's land scheme.
The company had promised either Rs 2.4 lakh or a piece of land upon the maturity of the scheme in 2024.
Urmila was not the first victim of Saradha Group. A few months back, a 33-year-old agent of the company committed suicide, citing inability to make repayments to his depositors.
Saradha Group CMD Sudipta Sen is still at large, and the state police's Intelligence Branch (IB) has sent out messages to all police stations, stating Sen is `wanted'. As public ire against Sen and his sham company is increasing, the government is apprehensive of the law-&-order situation worsening.