Bargaon: A Dalit woman committed suicide over crop loss and debt burden at Sahajbahal village under Bargaon block in Sundargarh district Sunday, reports said suggesting this is the first farmer suicide in the block.
Although the incident occurred October 29, it came to light after the deceased’s son Sanjib filed a complaint with the police.
According to sources, the block reported 70 per cent crop loss this Kharif season. Many farmers are left in distress with crop loss and indebtedness.
Village guard Ratnakar Dutia and his wife Muga Dutia, 54, had cultivated paddy in a few acres after borrowing money from private lenders and banks. They had expected a rich harvest and hoped to repay their loans.
However, they were disappointed after their standing crops were devoured by pests due to water scarcity. Since then, the couple was under stress to repay their debts. The despondent woman ground some poisonous seeds and consumed it when her son Sanjib and daughter-in-law were away. Sanjib’s father with the help of villagers rushed Muga to Sundargarh district headquarters hospital (DHH) where she breathed her last during treatment.
When contacted, Sanjiv said he was with his pregnant wife at the hospital when he heard about the tragedy in the family. He had to perform his mother’s funeral rites and hence could not approach the police immediately.
He said his mother had borrowed `10,000 from Sahajbahal LAMPS while he had taken a loan of `20,000 from Annapurna Microfinance and `30,000 from another finance company.
Farmers’ Marketing Committee president Rabindra Patel sympathised with the bereaved family and demanded waiver of the loans Muga had taken.
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