Debt-ridden farmers end life

Hunsur: In separate incidents, two young farmers, who had taken crop loans from banks and others, committed suicide as they were unable to repay the loans following crop loss.

In the first incident, Sridhar (30), a resident of Hosur Kodagu Colony here, committed suicide by consuming pesticides. He owned about 5.8-acre land, used to grow tobacco & ginger and had taken Rs. 1 lakh from a nationalised bank and Rs. 3 lakh from a Mahila Sangha and his friends.

Unable to repay the loans, Sridhar allegedly committed suicide. He leaves behind his wife and a son. Sridhar’s father Ganesh has lodged a complaint at Rural Police Station.

In the second incident, Mahadevanayaka (34), a resident of Kalabuchanahalli in Hanagod hobli, committed suicide by falling into an agricultural pond on Tuesday morning.

Mahadevanayaka was cultivating tobacco, ginger and maize on a 3-acre land belonging to his mother Thimmamma. He used to obtain Rs. 4.5 lakh loan every year to grow crops and also repay it. But last year, Mahadevanaya, who had taken Rs. 4.5 lakh loan from a bank, had repaid only Rs. 1.5 lakh and was unable to repay the remaining amount as the prices of tobacco crashed and ginger crop failed.

On Monday evening, Mahadevanayaka, who left his house, did not return and his body was found on Tuesday morning in the agricultural pond at Uduvepura near his village. He leaves behind his wife and a daughter. His wife Rekha has lodged a complaint at Rural Police Station.

This post was published on April 8, 2021 6:30 pm