Sambalpur: A farmer allegedly committed suicide over crop loss and loan burden at Khulia village under Maneswar block in Sambalpur district.
The deceased identified as Lalit Barik (60) consumed pesticide last night and was admitted to VIMSAR in Burla. However, he died this morning while undergoing treatment at the hospital.
According to Barik’s son Saroj, his father had borrowed Rs 17 lakh for cultivating crops on his farmland during the Kharif season. But he suffered heavy loss owing to brown plant hopper attack on the crops.
He had been under mental stress for quite a long time and took the extreme step after failing to repay the loan amount.
Earlier in the day, BJP activists had staged a road blockade at Turekela in Balangir district to protest against the suicide by another farmer.
Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded for several hours after party activists blocked the busy stretch by placing the body of the deceased farmer on the road.
The agitators demanded adequate compensation to the bereaved family.
