Post News Network
Bargarh/Bhubaneswar, Oct 26: A farmer allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide due to crop loss and under debt burden at Malmanda village under Gaisilet block in this district late Wednesday night, police said Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Indra Bariha (35), son of Rupadhar Bariha. Indra had consumed pesticide Sunday evening and was undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital in Bargarh, where he succumbed late Wednesday night, family members said.
Tulasa Bariha, wife of the deceased, said they had taken a loan of Rs1.5 lakh from private money lenders in the village for paddy cultivation on five acres. However a drought like situation due to scanty rainfall resulted in crop loss. He was under stress after he lost his crops as all his farmlands depended on rain. He feared that he would not be able to repay the loans and tried to end life by consuming poison,” she said. Town police have registered a case and sent the body for post-mortem.
Gaisilet tehsildar Sadakar Kumbhar, BDO and police reached the spot and started an investigation, Abhiram Kerketta, project director, district rural development agency, (DRDA) said. The probe report will be sent to the state government for action, Kumbhar said.
He consumed pesticide Sunday and was first admitted to Padmapur sub-divisional hospital from where he was shifted to Bargarh district headquarters hospital after his condition worsened, Tulasa said
He succumbed while undergoing treatment late Wednesday. He is survived by his widow and a five-year old daughter.
Three farmers have committed suicide this year in this district for similar reasons.
The suicide coming a day after the state government announced a drought package has acquired political colours ahead of Bijepur by-elections.
BJP leader Aswini Sarangi and former Congress MLA Nihar Ranjan Mahananda separately met the bereaved family. Agriculture minister Damodar Rout Thursday sought a report on the death, official sources said.
