Bargarh/Ambabhona: In yet another incident of farmer suicide in western Orissa region, a sharecropper committed suicide in Chicholi village under Ambabhona block in Bargarh district Friday as he failed to sell his produce due to faulty paddy procurement policy of the government.
Family members of Ratha Sa (60) said he does not possess any land of his own. He had cultivated on two acres of land owned by his co-villagers. However, he suffered a crop loss in Rabi paddy cultivation. Even he failed to sell the paddy he had harvested in the procurement centre due the newly-introduced online registration system and P-pass system.
He was under tremendous mental pressure as he was unable to repay the loans he had taken from local lenders to buy seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. As the money-lenders visited his house several times and asked him to repay the money, Ratha lost his mental balance and consumed poison Friday morning, said his son Akshay.
His family became aware about his consumption of poison and rushed him to Bhukta health centre. After primary treatment, he was rushed to the Bargarh district headquarters hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Ambabhona tehsildar Nirmal Nayak said the revenue inspector was asked to conduct a probe into the matter and submit a report on the death.
In the meantime, Bargarh Town police registered an unnatural death case. The body was handed over to the family after postmortem.
Villagers demanded the administration provide assistance to the family as he was the only earning member. Ratha is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. PNN
