Mandya: A farmer, who was dousing an accidental fire that had engulfed his standing sugarcane crop, has been charred to death. The incident took place at Modachakanahalli village in the taluk yesterday.

The deceased farmer has been identified as Mahalingaiah (60). Yesterday at about 1 pm, Mahalingaiah observed that fire had engulfed sugarcane grown in his field and went forward to douse it. But within a few minutes, the fire spread to adjoining fields and thick smoke emanating from it.

A few farmers, who saw the thick smoke, rushed towards Mahalingaiah’s field. Mahalingaiah was already caught in the fire and the villagers tried to douse the fire by throwing water and mud but in vain and Mahalingaiah was charred to death.

Also, sugarcane grown in 8 acre land of Mahesh, 1.5 acre land of Javaregowda, 2 acre land of Papanna, 1 acre land of Shankar and also 1.5 acre banana plantation of Mahesh was destroyed in the fire, causing a loss of lakhs of rupees to them.

It is not known how the fire started and Shivalli Police, who have registered a case in this regard, are investigating.

MP Sumalatha Ambarish, who has condoled the death of Mahalingaiah, has assured of meeting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai soon for providing compensation to the family of the deceased, according to the MP’s Personal Secretary.