Bhawanipatna: A young farmer allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison over crop damage and loan burden at Gambhariguda village under Koksara block, 60 km from the district headquarters town in Kalahandi district, Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Parmeswar Lahajal, aged 26.
According to preliminary report, Parmeswar had no land of his own. He worked as a sharecropper and had cultivated paddy by taking four acre land from a fellow villager. He had borrowed loan of Rs 35,000 from a private finance company for the cultivation purpose. He had hoped of a good harvest.
However, his hopes were dashed after his crops faced acute moisture stress condition due to erratic rain. He apprehended crop loss after seeing the withering condition of the paddy and was under severe stress.
He went to his agricultural land Thursday and came home crying. Later, he took the extreme step. Family members spotted him vomiting blood and rushed him to Koksara community health centre. He was then shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in a critical condition after his condition worsened. However, he succumbed in the hospital during treatment.
His family members confirmed he was under stress for repaying the loan of Rs 35,000.
Parmeswar was married two years back and had no children. Meanwhile, police launched a probe if he consumed poison fearing crop loss or over family dispute.
Collector Parag Gavali said Tehsildar of Koksara block and Agriculture department officials of the block have been directed to inquire into the incident and submit a report. The family will be compensated by the State Government if crop loss is the reason behind the suicide, he added.
Meanwhile, moisture stress condition of crops has been reported from many parts of the block. Farmers are in deep distress fearing crop loss. They demanded the administration to provide necessary compensation.
It may be noted here that a cotton farmer, Bahadur Rana of Madiguda village under Bhawanipatna block had consumed poison in his cotton field after crop damage, August 5 this year.
PNN
