Kendrapara: Massive crop loss Friday forced a 30-year-old sharecropper to attempt suicide at Rajnagar block of the district. The ill-fated share cropper has been undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Rabindranath Ray, a resident of Maliparida village under Kurunti GP of Rajnagar tehsil, attempted suicide by consuming pesticide in his house. He was rushed to Rajnagar CHC and was shifted to Kendrapara district headquarters hospital. He was then referred to SCB as his condition worsened.
Rabindranath had taken up paddy farming on six acres by borrowing money. But, the unseasonal rain damaged 50 per cent of his standing paddy crop.
He tried to harvest the remaining paddy but in vain as labourers denied cutting paddy in muddy field. It became a difficult for harvesting machines to enter the field for cutting crops.
As the Met office has predicted rain over next few days, Rabindranath lost hopes and took the extreme step, Binodini Ray, widow mother of Rabindra, said. Rajnagar tehsildar Khirod Kumar Behera rushed to Rabindranath’s house to take stock of the situation.
Khirod stated that as per an inquiry report, Rabindranath was a quack in the locality. But, he faced losses. This year he switched his profession and tried his luck at paddy farming as a sharecropper.
But, the unseasonal rain in November and December spelt doom for him as about 50 per cent of his paddy crop was damaged by unseasonal rain.
The district administration has disbursed Rs 10,000 for the medical treatment of Rabindranath who has been currently battling with his life. The condition of Rabindranath is improving, Behera said, adding he has talked with doctors at SCB to provide proper care to him. PNN
