Bhopal: Three farmers ended their lives in Madhya Pradesh in the last 24 hours, taking the number of farmer suicides in the state in the past one week to five. the latest reports of suicides come in the wake of a slew of measures announced by the state government to contain acute agrarian distress and anger after five farmers were killed in police firing at Mandsaur on June 6.
Two allegedly debt-ridden farmers committed suicide at Jajna village under Rehti police station area in Sehore district and in Bhairpur village of Hoshangabad district, respectively. Also, a farmer from Vidisha district died during treatment in Bhopal where he was admitted after consuming poisonous pills yesterday.
A debt-ridden 55-year old farmer allegedly committed suicide by consuming poisonous substance yesterday at Jajna village in Sehore, the home district of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Dulichand Keer, the farmer, was declared brought dead at the hospital.
Rehti police station in-charge Pankaj Geete said, “The cause behind the death is a matter of investigation, but he had a debt of Rs 6 lakh.” Keer’s son Sher Singh claimed that his father ended his life due to mounting debt. He had borrowed Rs four lakh from banks and another Rs two lakh from other sources.
District collector Sudam Khade, however, said the reason behind the suicide was still not clear. Kriparam Digodiya (68) allegedly killed himself in Bhairopur village under Shivpur police station in Hoshangabad district. His body was found hanging from a tree at his farm. Family members said that Kriparam was depressed due to worries about loan repayment. He had also sold off parts of his agricultural land.
Shivpur police station in-charge Monish Bais said Kriparam was claimed to have been under depression. “We are investigating further,” he added. Another farmer, a resident of Jirapur under Shamshabad police station of Vidisha district, ended life yesterday.
Hari Singh Jatav (40) died during treatment in Bhopal after having consumed poison, Shamshabad police station in- charge Sudama Prasad Shukla said. Shamshabad tehsildar Israr Khan said Jatav had some dispute with family members over demarcation of farmland. Earlier, on June 8, a 45-year-old debt-ridden farmer, Kishanlal Meena, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poisonous substance at Sagoniya in Raisen district.
Meena told his kin before dying that he had a debt of Rs 17 lakh, and was worried about his three daughters who were of marriageable age.On the same day (June 8), Bishan Singh Rajput (42), a farmer who also held Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree, hanged himself at Jogadakhedi in Sehore district. Rajput’s younger brother said he had incurred heavy losses in farming in the past 3-4 years, and his debt burden had spiralled to Rs 10 lakh. A major farmers’ agitation roiled western Madhya Pradesh between June 1 and June 11. On June 6, five persons were killed in police firing at Mandsaur. Main demands of farmers were loan waiver and remunerative prices for produce.
