Debt-Ridden Farmer Commits Suicide In Odisha’s Jajpur

Jajpur: A farmer on Wednesday allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree over debt burden at Mangarajpur village under Dharmashala block in Jajpur district

The deceased has been identified as Gouranga Bal.

According to sources, Gouranga has taken crop loans from bank and from different organisations also. Unable to repay them, he was under mental trauma.

“My husband had taken a loan of 60,000 to 70,000. We have four to five acres of land. But paddy could not be grown on entire stretch for shortage of money. We have also a half-constructed home. He was depressed because of the debt burden,” said his wife Rashmita Bal said.

Village Sarapanch Shyama Sundar Sahu said, “Gouranga was unable to repay the loan amount and had been under tremendous mental stress. This may have prompted him to take the extreme step.”

On getting information, Dharmashala police reached the village and started investigation into the matter.

In the first week of September, a farmer had allegedly committed suicide over crop loss and loan burden at Ulunda village under Mahulapalli police limits in Sambalpur district.

A similar incident was reported from Koraput district on August 31, when a farmer of Malimarla village under Pattangi police limits ended his life by consuming poision.

August also saw the death of a farmer in Balangir district. He attempted suicide by consuming pesticide on August 24 and had succumbed while being shifted to VIMSAR in Burla from the Balangir district headquarters hospital after his condition deteriorated.