Farmer commits suicide in Odisha, another fights for life

A farmer committed suicide in Nuapada district of Odisha owing to crop loss and debt burden while another was battling for life after consuming pesticide for the same reason.

Bhubaneswar Behera is said to have hanged himself at his home at Barpadar village.

His family said Behera had raised a loan to sow paddy on two-and-a-half acres of land. However, the crop failed due to scanty monsoon rains, forcing him to take the extreme step.

The farmer was supposed to get a compensation of Rs.10 lakh for a portion of his land acquired for the construction of a canal in the area, his family said.

Another farmer, Judhistir Putel, was battling for life at a government hospital in Kantabanji in Bolangir district after an alleged suicide attempt on Wednesday.

Family sources said he had grown paddy and vegetables on four acres of land, for which he had taken Rs.50,000 from a cooperative society and another Rs.30,000 from a bank.

However, his crop too was damaged due to weak monsoon. - IANS