Mumbai Loan Recovery Agent's Abusive Call to Soldier Provokes Public Outrage; HDFC Bank Responds
An audio recording capturing a heated exchange between a loan recovery agent in Mumbai and an Army soldier has gone viral, sparking public outrage. The banker is accused of directing abusive and derogatory remarks at the soldier.
In the recording, the woman, identified by some as Anuradha Verma from HDFC Bank, chastises the soldier for delays in loan repayment. The soldier challenges the interest charges, questioning, “You sanctioned me a loan of ₹15.85 lakh. How are you charging interest of ₹16.23 lakh?”
The conversation escalates as the agent mocks his profession, stating, “If you were educated, you’d be working in a good company. You’re illiterate, that’s why you’ve been sent to the border.”
The agent further insults the soldier with remarks about martyrs and disabilities, asserting, “That is the reason your kids are born disabled and you guys die at the border.”
Despite the soldier’s warning that he recorded the call and planned to take action, the agent continued her tirade, citing her decade-long experience with CRPF clients and dismissing his complaints.
Public Backlash & Bank Response
The audio has incited anger on social media, with many calling for strict measures against the banker and labeling her comments as “disrespectful to the Armed Forces.”
In response to growing criticism, HDFC Bank clarified that the woman in the audio clip is not affiliated with the bank. “Hi! We would like to clarify that the lady in the audio clip is not an employee of the Bank,” the bank stated.
This incident has rekindled discussions on debt recovery practices, the accountability of collection agents, and the pressures faced by armed forces personnel who endure financial difficulties while serving at the frontlines.
