Kottayam (Ker) | A small-scale businessman was found dead at his house here, following which the family members raised grave charges against a Karnataka-based private bank on Tuesday.

Binu K C (50), who was running a footwear shop at Kudayampady near Aymanam here, died by suicide on Monday afternoon.

His family alleged he was very disturbed due to the continuous harassment and threats by one of the employees of the bank from where Binu had recently availed of a loan of Rs 5 lakh.

Due to the poor business in recent times, Binu could not repay the loans for some months, his daughter Nandana said.

"My father took a loan from the same bank earlier also and he repaid the entire amount without any fail," she told the media.

She also accused one Pradeep, said to be the manager of the bank, of threatening and harassing her father after going to his footwear shop.

"This made my father mentally down...I am sure that due to this insult, he took the extreme step," the teenaged girl added.

Otherwise, he would not have decided to end his life, the teary-eyed girl said and added that stern action should be taken against the guilty.

Binu is survived by his wife and two daughters.

The bank authorities were yet to react on the issue.

Kottayam West police said a case was registered with regard to the businessman's death and further investigation is going on.