When we hear the word 'investor', we often think of wealthy people who have large sums of money invested in major banks or businesses. However, daily wage earners and small-scale farmers also trustfully deposit their hard-earned savings, ranging from four to five lakh rupees, in cooperative banks in their locality for various purposes such as their daughters' marriage, loved ones' medical treatment or building houses. These people are also investors. Unfortunately, from Karuvannur to Kandala, we have been hearing tragic stories of mismanagement and officials mishandling these investments. The latest heartbreaking tale is that of a farmer named Somasagaram from Maruthathur, who took his own life after being unable to withdraw the money he had deposited in the Perumbazhuthur Service Cooperative Bank at Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Somasagaram diligently deposited his hard-earned money, saved from the meager income of farming plantains on leased land, totaling Rs 6 lakhs. His thoughts were on his daughter's marriage and maintaining his house. He had withdrawn 1 lakh several times but for almost a year, he had been trying to withdraw the full amount as the need for his daughter's marriage became urgent. However, he was repeatedly told by the bank that the money couldn't be withdrawn in full at once. Feeling helpless, he tragically decided to end his life. He consumed poison on the 19th of last month and was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. He died during treatment. Earlier, a depositor of the Thrissur Karuvannur Bank had also taken his own life under similar circumstances. The tragedy in Perumbuzathur comes at a time when several cases related to transactions in many cooperative banks have been filed and legal proceedings are ongoing.

The cornerstone of any financial transaction worldwide is trust. It relies on the belief that the institution holding the investor's money will not falter, that promised interest will be paid, and that the full amount will be refunded upon demand. Any failure in this regard undermines the credibility of the bank. In Perumbuzathur, the excuse given by bank officials for not returning the full amount to the depositor in a timely manner is baffling. The depositor didn't even need to convince the bank of the urgency of the demand or threaten suicide to get attention.

The bank secretary stated that if Somasagaram's family requests, there is no obstacle to paying the remaining amount at any time. But isn't this demand what the investor had been making for almost a year? If the remaining five lakh rupees had been paid on time, the man would still be alive today. He could have proudly fulfilled his responsibilities as a household head by renovating his house and arranging his daughter's marriage. Now, that investment has cost Somasagaram his life. It should be recognized that behind every small investment lie dreams and aspirations. While there is no room for redemption, vigilance is crucial to prevent such incidents from recurring.