Tirupati: The Tirupati district police have arrested two men associated with Finnbul Technologies Private Limited for harassing a woman and threatening her over defaulting one installment of a loan. The woman, a software engineer from Sullurpeta, currently working in Bengaluru, had taken a loan from the Hyderabad branch of the company. After making five payments on time, she faced delays in repaying the sixth installment.

District SP L. Subba Rayudu said on Friday that the company’s recovery team allegedly morphed her photographs and sent them to her and her family via WhatsApp, threatening to share them with her contacts if the loan was not repaid. Based on the victim’s complaint, the Sullurpeta police arrested two suspects.

The accused were identified as recovery team manager Marka Bharath Yadav who is a resident of RK Puram, Neredmet, Malkajgiri, and recovery team member Putamsetti Ramakrishna, who is a resident of Film Nagar, Hyderabad.

The SP cautioned the public against unethical practices by non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and loan app operators. He emphasised that any complaints of harassment or inappropriate behaviour by recovery agents would result in strict legal action against the respective companies and individuals involved.

73-year-old held in Annamacharya statue case

The Tirupati police arrested a 73-year-old man for placing a red Santa Claus hat on the statue of Annamacharya at the Rayala Cheruvu Road Circle on December 23.

According to the police, the suspect, identified as Bandhu Dharji Jawanar from Maharashtra, had been wandering from place to place after leaving his home. About 15 days ago, he arrived in Tirupati, scavenging waste paper and living on city platforms. On the afternoon of December 23, he found a red Santa Claus hat near the Annamacharya statue and placed it on the statue’s head.

The incident was deemed provocative, with the potential to incite communal tensions and hurt Hindu sentiments. Following an investigation using technical evidence and intelligence, the police traced the suspect and arrested him near Tiruchanoor. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.