Crop failure and indebtness continued to take a toll on farmers in the State, with six of them committing suicide on Friday.
Farmer Suresh (49) of Shanthalli village in Somwarpet taluk, Kodagu district, committed suicide on Friday. The police suspect his mounting debt forced him to end his life. They said Suresh had taken a loan of Rs. 75,000 from a cooperative bank a few years ago and the outstanding amount had compounded due to default in repayment. The police are investigating whether he had taken a loan from private moneylenders.
He is survived by wife, mother and two children. The Somwarpet police have registered a case.
In Tumakuru
A 42-year-old farmer, Rajanna, from Kamsanahalli in Madhugiri taluk of Tumakuru district allegedly committed suicide. His family had complained to the police that theirs was a joint family and Rajanna was vested with the responsibility of looking after them. He had taken a loan of Rs. 21 lakh and got a notice from Cholamandalam Finance 20 days ago to repay part of the loan.
He had also been getting notices from State Bank of Mysore, Madhugiri. His wife had died of bone cancer and her treatment had run into Rs. 4 lakh. He was also funding the treatment of his sister-in-law, who was suffering from paralysis. More was to follow: four of his borewells had failed. A case has been registered in Kodigenahalli police station.
In Ballari
Three debt-ridden farmers allegedly committed suicide in the past 24 hours in Ballari district.
Dadasab (35) a small farmer in Kappagal village was unable to avail a loan from private financers to repay a bank loan. He did not have money to purchase seeds and other agricultural inputs, said his family.
Jagadish Itagi (35) in Mylar village of Hadagali taluk, and Veeresh (45) of B.G. Dinni village in Sirguppa taluk, unable to sustain the loss of crop and debts incurred, committed suicide by consuming poison.
Meanwhile, Sameer Shukla, Deputy Commissioner, visited Veeresh’s family and gave them ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 21,000 under the social security scheme.
In Raichur
Mahabalisab (35), a farmer from Gonwara village in Sindhanur taluk of Raichur district, consumed pesticide and died on Friday.
According to family members, he was depressed after his crop was destroyed in pre-monsoon rain, and he was unable to repay a loan of Rs. 5 lakh.
