Despite the drought package of the Government, there is no letup in farmers’ suicide in the State with another distressed peasant ending his life in Dhenkanal district on Tuesday.
Sadananda Sahu, a sharecropper of Ostapala village under Odapada block took the extreme step due to crop loss and loan burden.
Sources said Sahu was under severe mental stress due to crop failure. Finding no alternative to repay the loan he had taken for agriculture purpose, he consumed pesticides and died.
Demanding compensation, locals of the village staged a road blockade on the Ostapala road by placing the dead body of the farmer on the road, disrupting vehicular movement.
The villagers demanded `10-lakh compensation for the family of the deceased.
Sources said the villagers called off the strike after the district Collector and Sadar police rushed to the spot and assured them of assistance. later, the body was sent for postmortem.