Bargarh: A day after a 25-year-old farmer of Binika block in Sonepur district reportedly committed suicide due to crop loss and debt burden, another farmer in Bargarh district allegedly took the extreme step over the same reason.
The deceased farmer has been identified as Subha Rana of Kharamuda village under Attabira block in Bargarh district.
His family said, Rana was missing since February 28. Later, villagers spotted his body inside a forest near the village after four days.
According to his family members, Rana had taken loans from local moneylenders for agricultural purposes for his two-acre farm. He had hoped to repay the loans after harvest. However, his hopes of bumper harvest were dashed after he suffered crop loss due to pest attack.
He was under severe mental stress for a couple of weeks due to crop loss and debt burden. Moneylenders had started pestering him for money.
“He couldn’t bear the mental stress due to crop loss and debt burden and committed suicide by consuming pesticide,” Rana’s family members said.
However, officials are yet to confirm the suicide.
Notably, another farmer of Chulimal in Binika block of Soenpur district committed suicide by consuming pesticides.
Mohan Kalata had cultivated crops in five-acre land after taking loans from local moneylenders. However, he had to suffer crop loss due to pest attack and in his inability to repay the loans, he committed suicide, claimed his relatives.
However, Binika tehsildar Alekh Ghuta rejected the claims of Mohan’s family members that Mohan had committed suicide due to crop loss. The tehsildar claimed Mohan had married recently and might have committed suicide due to family dispute.
PNN