Film producer-director B. Ashok Kumar committed suicide in his residence in Alwarthirunagar near Valasaravakkam on Tuesday after being harassed by a film financier, reported The Hindu.

In his suicide note, Ashok Kumar, who was a relative of director-actor Sasikumar, has blamed a film financier for pushing him to take the extreme step. Ashok Kumar has co-produced films of Sasikumar including Eesan, Poraali and the yet-to-be-released Kodi Veeran.

An official of Valasaravakkam Police Station said Ashok Kumar, a native of Madurai, committed suicide by hanging in his multi-storeyed apartment at Arcot Road in Alwarthirunagar. His suicide note accused a film financier based in Madurai, with whom his production company has been taking loans, of charging exorbitant interest.

The body was taken to the Government Royapettah Hospital for postmortem. A case under IPC Section 306 has been registered against the financier for provoking suicide.