A farmer committed suicide at Chhuriapali village under Sohela block in Bargarh district on Wednesday allegedly due to crop failure. His body was found hanging from a tree near his field. Khusiram Pradhan (25) had invested more than `2 lakh in farming, but unseasonal rain and hail had destroyed everything.
Pradhan was found hanging from a tree on the outskirts of the village near his field. Meanwhile, police seized a hand written suicide note from the spot and started investigation. Pradhan had grown paddy in two acres of land and pulses in one acre. The crops were in good condition and were expected to give bumper harvest. However, heavy rains accompanied by hailstorm on February 26 damaged the standing crops.
Being frustrated over the massive loss, the young farmer took the extreme step, sources said.
The mishap occurred just a fortnight after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a mega farmers’ rally in drought-hit Bargarh district. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi too had organised farmers’ rallies in the district. But farmers are on a suicide spree there due to crop loss, debt burden and, moreover, apathetic attitude of the Governments towards them.