Even as the crackdown on moneylenders continued here for the second day on Thursday, E. Ningappa (42) a small farmer, committed suicide by hanging himself after he was unable to bear the crop loss. He was worried about loan repayment too.
According to the police, Ningappa owned 2.73 acre of dry land and had obtained Rs. 30,000 as loan from Pragathi Krishna Gramin Bank in 2009. Due to crop loss, he was unable to repay the loan. Unable to bear the stress, he became an alcoholic. This year, he cultivated cotton and incurred losses as per a complaint lodged by his wife, Mahadevakka.
Meanwhile, the police raided the premises of moneylenders in Hirehadagali and Sirigeri villages in the district after complaints were lodged against them for charging exorbitant rates of interest. In a raid conducted on the house of Balekai Shetty in Hirehadagali village, the police found an accounts diary, promissory notes, blank cheques and Rs. 11.63 lakh in cash. Balekai Shetty has been arrested.
