Debt-Ridden Farmer Attempts Suicide In Balangir

Balangir: A farmer, Bhagat Sagaria, of  Kuliakoda village under Tureikela block in Balangir district, tried to end his life by consuming pesticide on Thursday morning.

He was rushed to the Kantabanji hospital immediately and later referred to the Balangir district headquarters hospital after his deteriorated condition.

According to the sources, Bhagat had 10 acres of land and cultivated cotton by taking loan from private money lenders. He had hoped for a good harvest, but his crops were damaged in the prevailing torrential rain.

Unable, to bear the trauma, he consumed pesticides.

Notably,  he had taken loan from many money lenders of Kantabanji. His brother Heera Sagaria said, “Bhagat had gone to attend nature call on Thursday morning and attempted suicide there by taking pesticides.”

In a similar case, a farmer identified as Sarat Majhi ended his life on Tuesday by consuming pesticide at Kameimunda village in the district.

Majhi’s family members alleged that he took the extreme step due to crop loss and loan burden.

He was unable to repay loans taken from money lenders and was under tremendous mental stress since long, they added.

The BJP activists staged a road blockade at Turekela in the district on Wednesday to protest against the suicide by a 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 for the bereaved family.

In another case, a farmer allegedly committed suicide over crop loss and loan burden at Khulia village under Maneswar block in Sambalpur district on Tuesday night.

The deceased identified as Lalit Barik (60) consumed pesticide and was admitted to VIMSAR in Burla. However, he died on Wednesday 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.