Failed to get bank loan, farmer commits suicide

Bharat Khanna

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 18

Depressed over his rising debt and crop loss, a 37-year-old farmer of Jandawala village in Mansa allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison.

The victim, Sukhpreet Singh, owned about 6 acres of land and he had taken few more acres on lease for cultivation. Both his crops, cotton and wheat, failed this year due to inclement weather. Villagers revealed the immediate trigger for his taking the extreme step was that he was refused loan by a public bank even against the mortgage of his land.

The victim is survived by his wife, two children and parents. He had gone missing on May 15 following which the family lodged a complaint with the police. His body was today found from the fields between Jandawala village and Goniana town.

Amarjit Singh, sarpanch, said: “Sukhpreet was depressed over his rising debt. Now the entire burden will be on his family.”

The victim’s father said they had to clear a bank loan of Rs4 lakh and they owed another Rs10 lakh to local money lenders.

Sources said the farmer had gone to the bank to get his credit limit raised, but he was refused since he had not cleared his previous dues.

An officer of the Nehianwala police station said: “After filing a missing case report, we launched a search. He was found dead in Goniana mandi. Some poisonous pills and a bank passbook were found lying near his body. We are investigating the matter after registering a case under Section 174 of the CrPC.”