Another Farmer Dies By ‘Suicide’ After Crop Loss In Odisha’s Kendrapada

Kendrapada: As unseasonal rains caused extensive damage to crops in Odisha last month, another farmer allegedly ended his life by consuming poison due to heavy crop loss at a village in Odisha’s Kendrapada district.

The deceased, identified as Kailash Chandra Dhal, allegedly died by suicide at Koladiha village under the jurisdiction of Aul police station in the district on Friday night, sources said.

This is the tenth death of a farmer in the last ten days in the state following huge crop loss caused by unseasonal rains that lashed different parts of the state in December.

Family members of Dhal said he had cultivated paddy on eight acres of land but the crops were damaged due to unseasonal rains. They linked his death to mounting financial pressures. Dhal had reportedly taken a loan of approximately Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 lakh and was worried as to how he would repay the same after losing his crops to the rain.

His son Kumarsen said his father was under intense depression for the past ten days and despite family intervention took the extreme step after increased debt burden.

The incident once brought forth an alarming situation in the state where several farmers have either taken their lives or died out of shock after losing their crops in unseasonal and incessant rains that battered the state since December 19.

Earlier, nine farmers including two from Ranpur area of Nayagarh district, had died following huge crop loss.

Notably, the state government has taken active steps to address the issue and even declared last month’s rains as a state calamity yesterday and assured farmers of all support at this time of distress.