Gandhinagar: A salon owner who was cheated with the promise of a London work permit allegedly attempted suicide after being duped of Rs 24 lakh by a visa agent.The 26-year-old allegedly ingested a poisonous substance and is being treated at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital.According to the complaint filed with Gandhinagar police, the salon owner had met the visa agent two and a half years ago. The agent allegedly promised to arrange the work permit for London.The complaint said the salon owner mortgaged his house and paid the agent Rs 24 lakh in cash.However, when the work permit did not come through for months, the salon owner began to press for the return of his money.The agent allegedly returned only Rs 3.9 lakh. That did not help the salon owner, who was struggling to repay loans.On Saturday, allegedly overwhelmed by the financial burden, the salon owner tried to kill himself.Police said a note written by the salon owner before he attempted suicide names the visa agent and his two associates.The salon owner’s wife said the financial pressure, loan repayments, and the interest had placed the family under severe stress.Gandhinagar’s Sector 21 police said that a case of cheating is pending in court.
