Nagpur: Actor Prabhas’ Relative PV Verma Dies by Suicide Over ₹40 Crore Unpaid Dues

Penmacha Venkateshwar Verma, also known as PV Verma — a relative of Telugu superstar Prabhas — and a 61-year-old government contractor, reportedly burdened by unpaid bills worth ₹40 crore from various government departments, died by suicide at his rented apartment in Raj Nagar, opposite Academic Building of Fire Engineering College under Sadar police station limits on Monday morning.The deceased identified  had two hot mix plants under his firm M/s. Shri Sai Associates. He had undertaken projects for departments including the Public Works Department (PWD), Tribal Development, HAM (hybrid annuity model) road projects, and the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

According to contractors, Verma had been pressing senior officials and even asking political leaders for help in clearance of his bills for months but was reportedly only given hollow assurances. To continue his projects and pay workers, he had borrowed heavily from banks and other sources. Mounting repayment pressure and the absence of any relief are believed to have driven him to take the drastic step. On Monday around 8.30 am, Verma's friend Mahesh Biyani visited his flat but received no response. With the help of a security guard and Verma's domestic help, who had a spare key, the door was opened. Verma was found hanging inside. His body was later shifted to Mayo Hospital for postmortem. Speaking to Lokmat Times, Sadar police inspector Amol Deshmukh confirmed that no suicide note was recovered. "We have seized his mobile phone for examination as reports suggest he may have mentioned pending government bills in messages. His bank details are being scrutinized to verify the debt angle.

CCTV footage shows no suspicious entry into the flat. Statements of his family members will be recorded," he said. Verma hailed from Aaroli village in Ramtek. He lived alone in Nagpur, while his wife and son, an engineer, reside in Hyderabad. His daughter is a doctor. Last week, contractors staged a 'begging bowl protest' at Samvidhan Square to demand release of their dues. Association president Subodh Sarode said, "After farmers, now contractors are being forced into suicide. We demand that the government clear all pending bills first before allotting new projects," he said.

The deceased also had close ties with the film industry. He was related to Telugu superstar Prabhas, famously known for his role in blockbuster Baahubali Which was also dubbed in Hindi. Verma's wife, Anuradha, is a cousin of Prabhas as the latter is her maternal uncle's son. Verma was brother-in-law of the Tollywood star. Close family friend Israel Seth shared that it was difficult to believe Verma could take such a drastic step given his strong financial and social standing. He revealed that the Verma family had shifted from undivided Andhra Pradesh to Ramtek in 1962 for business purposes. Since then, the family had become well established in Nagpur. Munna Verma represented the third generation, expanding family’s presence in construction with the establishment of two hot mix plants and securing multiple government contracts, including sub contracting work. At the time of the incident, Verma was reportedly living alone at his residence in Rajnagar. His daughter, a doctor, and son, employed with an IT firm, both reside in Hyderabad. His wife Anuradha frequently travelled between Hyderabad and Nagpur. Recently, Verma had also visited Hyderabad, where he met actor Prabhas. There were also unconfirmed reports suggesting possible business dealings between the two. The tragedy has deeply shaken the family and the construction community in Nagpur. His funeral will be held on Tuesday at Mankapur Ghat, sources informed.