It was a sad day for the State with 13 suicides reported across seven districts in the last 24 hours. However, as families claimed mounting debts and crop loss as reasons for the suicides, officials are being cautious and are investigating each case. They are verifying documents before officially confirming them as farmers’ suicides.
The district that was worst hit was Mysuru, with four farmers, including a woman adding to the numbers. One death was reported in nearby Chamarajanagar taluk.
The story of Manjunath (22), a resident of Hosahalli village in the Periyapatna taluk, was tragic. His father, Lokesh, had allegedly committed suicide four years ago. Mounting debts forced the young farmer to commit suicide, adding to his families woes.
Jagadish (35), a native of Mummadi Kaval in the same taluk, was living independently from his late father’s household, but was asked to repay the loan taken by his father. However, the police said they had also “received information that Jagadish had taken a loan from moneylenders”.
Yogamani (45), wife of tobacco farmer Basavarajappa, succumbed to burns she had suffered after setting herself ablaze at Malali village in K.R. Nagar taluk. Basavarajappa’s mother, Ningajamma, had borrowed Rs. 4 lakh on behalf of her son from a local bank nad was unable to repay it. In Hunsur taluk, a 47-year-old debt-ridden farmer committed suicide in Tannegowda Colony.
Mariswamy (37), a farmer in Chamarajanagar taluk, apart from loans from moneylenders, had pledged gold to buy bullocks.Two deaths in Belagavi
Erappa Basavanappa Katkol, around 45 years, of Sattigeri in Soudatti taluk, and farmer Kareppa Lakkappa Govindappagol (35) from Hulikatti village added to the tally in Belagavi district. Soudatti tahsildar Nagraj Patil told The Hindu that Erappa’s family was claiming he ended his life due to outstanding dues to banks and moneylenders. But, a preliminary inquiry did not lead to any document that supported the claim.
Ballari’s count
In Ballari district, according to a police complaint lodged by the wife of deceased Jambla Naik (48) in Hagari of Bommanahalli taluk, his crop was damaged in the recent hailstorm and he had taken loans worth Rs. 4.5 lakh.
In Koppal district, two small farmers — Srinivas (28) in Gangavati taluk, and Mallaiah (28) of Kuntoji in Karatagi taluk — ended their lives allegedly because of mounting debts and crop failure. So too Hassan district’s victim, identified as Sahadevaiah (48). His family told the police he had borrowed heavily.
The two suicides reported from Mandya were of sericulture farmers — Puttaswamy (42) and V. Ramesh (45), who had run into losses thanks to the steep fall in silk cocoon procurement prices.
Districts are chalking out plans to stem the deaths. The Mysuru ZP, for example, is identifying farmers who have taken loans from banks and financial institutions, and providing them counselling by experts.
