Dhama: Unable to see his standing crop over 12-acre getting damaged due to lack of water, a young farmer allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticides, reports said. He has been identified as Goutam Seth (30), son of farmer Baisakhu Seth of Panchaphut village under Maneswar block in Sambalpur district.
Under stress and mental trauma, Goutam had consumed pesticides kept in his house Thursday, October 18. Family members spotted him writhing in pain and vomiting blood and rushed him to Sambalpur district headquarters hospital (DHH).
Doctor after preliminary treatment referred him to Burla-based VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR). However, he breathed his last while under intense treatment.
As per reports, Goutam’s father is suffering from tuberculosis and the family had to go through a lot of monetary problems for his treatment. So, Goutam had borrowed Rs 80,000 from a bank for his father’s treatment.
With no lady in the house to take care of his ailing father, Goutam decided to marry. He once again took loan from a moneylender and had married Bandana Seth from Podakhol village in Boudh district eight months back.
With the help of his wife, he had cultivated paddy in his 12-acre and hoped for a bumper harvest. He had planned to return his loans after harvesting his crop. However, his hopes of a good harvest were dashed after standing crops began to wither due to lack of rain.
Due to lack of irrigation facilities, he failed to irrigate his farm that further devastated after the rain due to Titli. Seeking help, he had approached the irrigation department and SDO. However, no help arrived his way. He also tried to hire a motor pump and irrigate his land, but water failed to reach his farm as it was too far from the canal.
Since then, he was under pressure to return the loans and took the extreme step.
“He had to handle the responsibility of my health and the family. We knew he was under stress. So, we always tried to help him and cheered him up. We tried to approach the SDO and pleaded for help. But, no one helped us. So, my son took his life,” said Goutam’s ailing father.
PNN