A 31-year-old police constable serving with Telangana’s 3rd Battalion died by suicide at his residence in Harshaguda village of Maheshwaram mandal after allegedly facing threats and harassment from online loan-app operators, according to Pahadishareef police.
Mudavath Srinu was found dead on Monday night, police said. Sub-inspector B. Vinod Kumar of Pahadishareef police station said on Tuesday that the investigation followed a complaint from Srinu’s mother, who told police that he had borrowed money through multiple loan applications and that the family was struggling with repayments.
Police said Srinu had been under constant pressure from people allegedly connected to the loan apps. The complaint and preliminary investigation also referred to threats and the circulation of morphed photographs sent to his phone. The reported use of manipulated images highlights how digital harassment can extend beyond debt collection and affect a borrower’s family and social standing.
Investigators said Srinu had become addicted to online cricket betting, which had worsened his debts. The police account links the betting-related financial losses with the loans and subsequent repayment pressure, but the investigation into the exact sequence of transactions and communications is continuing.
A case was registered under Crime No. 744 of 2026 at Pahadishareef police station. Police invoked Sections 108, 351 and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The sections cited in the case cover the offences included by investigators in their initial complaint; the police inquiry will establish the specific role of individuals or entities connected with the alleged harassment.
Srinu’s mobile phone has been seized for forensic examination. Police said the device would be examined for messages, loan-related communications, transaction records and other digital evidence. The evidence collection is expected to help investigators identify the operators involved and establish how the alleged threats and morphed images were transmitted.
After a postmortem at Osmania General Hospital, Srinu’s body was handed over to his relatives, police said. The report did not identify the loan applications involved or specify whether the operators had been arrested.
The case places attention on the overlap between unauthorised digital lending, online betting and cyber harassment. Borrowers facing financial distress may interact with multiple apps and unknown recovery agents, making it important for investigators to trace payment channels, phone numbers, digital accounts and the legal status of the lending entities involved.
Pahadishareef police urged the public to avoid online betting and unauthorised loan applications. They also advised people facing financial distress or cyber harassment to approach the police immediately. The next steps in the case are the examination of Srinu’s phone and related digital evidence, along with efforts to identify those responsible for the alleged threats and circulation of morphed images.
