Debt-Ridden Farmer Succumbs To Suicide Bid In Balangir

Balangir: A farmer, who attempted suicide by consuming pesticide on Thursday morning, succumbed on Friday while being shifted to VIMSAR in Burla from Balangir district headquarters after his condition deteriorated.

He was identified as Bhagat Sagaria of Kuliadora village under Tureikela block in Balangir district.

Notably, Bhagat had taken loan from many money lenders of Kantabanji. The farmer tried to end his life by consuming pesticide when he had gone to attend nature’s call on Thursday morning.

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

He was then referred to the Burla Medical College for further treatment and died on his way to Burla.

According to the sources, Bhagat had 10 acres of land and cultivated cotton by taking loan of around Rs 1 lakh from private money lenders. He had hoped for a good harvest, but his crops were damaged due to scanty rainfall in Tureikela area.

Unable to bear the trauma, he consumed pesticides.

The farmers of the area have been demanding lift irrigation facilities.

A couple of days ago, a farmer identified as Sarat Majhi had ended his life 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 the loan amount and was under tremendous mental stress since long, they added.

Following his death, the BJP activists staged a road blockade at Turekela in the district on Wednesday. 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.