Farmer leaders gherao Mysuru Taluk Tahsildar at mortuary premises

Mysore/Mysuru: Tension prevailed for sometime in the premises of mortuary attached to K.R. Hospital on Irwin Road in the city this morning, as a farmer died of alleged suicide attempt by consuming pesticide.

Girigowda (52) of Kaniyanahundi village, Bogadi Road in Mysuru taluk, is the deceased farmer. He breathed his last at K.R. Hospital at about 4.30 am today.

It is said that, Gowda owns four acres of land under Survey No. 8 in Kaniyanahundi. Recently, he, along with five other land holders owning lands in different survey numbers in the village, received a notice issued by Forest Department on Jan. 25, 2024 to produce land records within three months of receipt of notice.

Forest Department has launched a process of extending forest area under Forest Act and hence a notice was served on all the land holding farmers to demarcate the forest land, in case of any encroachment of the land.

Feared over the notice, Gowda took the extreme step of consuming pesticide five days ago and had been admitted at K.R. Hospital here since then.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Jayapura Police have registered a suicide case.

Meanwhile, learning about his death, the farmer leaders staged a flash protest at the mortuary and gheraoed Tahsildar of Mysuru taluk Mahesh Kumar leading to tense moments for sometime.

They questioned the nature of notice served by Forest Department to farmers, when they were tilling the land all these years and paying the due revenue to the Government. They also demanded to revoke the notice in consultation with Forest Officers and refrain from continuing with the process further.

Tahsildar Mahesh assured that he will submit a report to the Government, following which the farmers withdrew their protest.