A 35-year-old engineering graduate allegedly lost Rs 83 lakh through trading and is now working as a Swiggy delivery partner, according to a Reddit post that has drawn widespread attention.
The post was shared by a user who recounted meeting his cousin after several years. He said the 35-year-old came from a financially well-off family, was married and held an engineering degree. However, his interest in trading reportedly left him deep in debt, with losses and borrowings adding up to Rs 83 lakh.
The account has prompted discussions on Reddit about the financial toll of trading without adequate knowledge and the risks of trying to recover losses by putting in more money.
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How Did The Engineer Get Into Trading?
According to the Reddit post, it all started when the engineer visited a client's workplace and noticed him trading on a laptop. The client reportedly told him that trading was his full-time profession and that he earned a decent living from it.
Intrigued by the possibility of making money, the engineer decided to try his hand at trading with small amounts. The Reddit user claimed that his cousin initially made a few thousand rupees and even shared his profits with his parents.
Encouraged by these early gains, his parents allegedly began supporting his trading ambitions. They reportedly sold land, pledged jewellery and arranged around Rs 35 lakh for him to invest.
Things did not go as planned. The money was lost in trading, but instead of stepping away from the market, the engineer continued taking positions in an attempt to recover his losses.
According to the post, he also borrowed money through loan apps and used his wife's jewellery to arrange additional funds.
Engineer Allegedly Accumulates Rs 83 Lakh Debt
As the losses continued to mount, his brother reportedly intervened and asked him to disclose the total outstanding debt. The amount, according to the Reddit user, stood at Rs 83 lakh.
The family managed to contribute around Rs 20 lakh towards the debt but could not clear the entire amount. The financial crisis created serious problems within the family, eventually forcing the engineer to leave home and stay elsewhere.
The Reddit user claimed that his cousin has been working as a Swiggy delivery partner for the past few years.
During a recent meeting, the user asked him about his trading strategy. The response reportedly left him stunned.
“The trading chart sort of shows a red light or blink and that is when you invest money,” the cousin replied.
At the end, the user clarified that his intention was not to disrespect any profession but to highlight how a lack of knowledge of financial markets, combined with the desire to make quick profits, had allegedly affected his cousin's life.
My Engineer cousin who gamble traded is a Swiggy rider now.
by u/Illustrious-Milk-896 in IndianStockMarket
How Are Reddit Users Responding?
The post drew responses from several users, with many discussing the risks of trading without adequate knowledge of financial markets.
“This is honestly a reminder that trading without understanding what you are doing can become very dangerous. I think the biggest problem is when people get lucky in the beginning and start believing they have figured out the market. Then they increase their bets to recover losses, and things can get out of control quickly,” read a comment.
Another person shared a similar experience of someone losing more than Rs 2 crore through F&O options buying. He said, “Happened with someone really close too. Lost over 2 crore or maybe more playing F&O options buying. Blamed his parents for not giving him more.”
Some pointed out how initial profits can create a false sense of confidence, eventually leading traders to take bigger risks.
“He should have tried doing the opposite wherever it said sell he should have bought and wherever it said buy he should have sold. He would have made a profit of over 83 lakh,” suggested a user.
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