A 45-year-old debt-ridden paddy farmer allegedly committed suicide at his residence at Panakanahalli in Mandya taluk in the early hours of Sunday.
The deceased, K. Puttegowda, was a small farmer who owned 20 guntas of land. He is survived by his son Rajesh and daughter Rachana.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Mr. Puttegowda had availed a loan of Rs. 40,000 from a cooperative bank and about Rs. 2 lakh from his friends for non-agricultural reasons, police said.
His children and relatives reportedly told the police that Mr. Puttegowda was depressed because he was unable to repay the loans. A case has been registered.
Mandya Superintendent of Police Bhushan Gulabrao Borase,
Additional Deputy Commissioner B.R. Poornima, and M. Srinivas, former MLA, visited the mortuary at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences and consoled his family members.
