Bargarh:
Tension prevailed at Gauri chhak on Padmapur-Paikamal road here after villagers blocked the road with the body of a farmer who died Monday evening.
The villagers alleged that the farmer died due to the inordinate delay in disbursement of insurance money.
Govind Biswal of Palsada village near Paikamal under Padmapur sub-division was one of the farmers in the region who suffered crop loss.
Even a year after the crop loss, the farmers are yet to receive the insurance money. The affected farmers also locked the Palsada Seva Cooperative Society Monday to mark their protest.
Following Govind’s death, irate farmers also staged a road blockade.
Family sources said Govind owned three acres. As his land falls under non-irrigated areas, he depended on rain for agricultural activities. He had availed a loan worth Rs 75,000 for cultivation on his land. However, due to scanty rainfall, he had suffered a huge loss and was in severe distress over the loan burden. His only hope was the insurance money because he had paid the premium. He was thinking to repay the loan with his insurance money, which eventually did not come.
Protesting against the inordinate delay, he along with some other affected farmers had launched an agitation and locked the cooperative society office.
Govind, after reaching home from the agitation site, fell sick and complained of head reeling. A few moments later, he breathed his last.
Alleging that Govind died due to severe stress, the farmers staged the blockade. They demanded that his loan be waived and compensation to the kin of the deceased.