Under Rs15-lakh debt, farmer takes poison

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 13

A debt-ridden farmer hailing from Bhamme Kalan village of Mansa district allegedly committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance today.

The deceased has been identified as 23-year-old Baljeet Singh. His family members said he was under a debt of Rs 15 lakh. He had sold off a part of his land to repay the debt, but was still under tremendous stress.

His father had died in a road accident some time back. He is survived by his mother, wife and children. Farmer leader Malkeet Singh alleged that farmers were taking the extreme step due to alleged wrong policies of the state government. He demanded that the entire debt of his family should be written off and one of its members be provided a government job. The police have handed over his body to the family.

Meanwhile, as per a report by Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan), around 150 farmers and agricultural labourers have reportedly committed suicide in the last three months alone.

Though agrarian suicides have been a continuous phenomenon for the past two decades, the last three months saw a sudden rise. As per a report prepared by the BKU, there have been 50 suicides every month since May.

The report is based on news on the matter appeared in five Punjabi newspapers. As per the report, in April 42 farmers committed suicide, May and June 50 each and in July till Sunday, 47 farmers and labourers committed suicide. There is around 20 per cent jump in suicide cases in this period.

‘Flawed policies leading to suicides’  

• The deceased has been identified as 23-year-old Baljeet Singh. His family members said he was under a debt of Rs 15 lakh
• Farmer leader Malkeet Singh alleged that farmers were taking the extreme step due to alleged wrong policies of the state 
• He demanded that the entire debt of his family should be written off and one of its members be provided a government job