The death of a farmer of lembupal village in Baunsal panchayat in Kamakhyanagar block in the district on Tuesday sparked protests.
Sources said the farmer Basu Hembram had consumed poison on October 31 and was admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital. where he died on Tuesday.
Hembram had taken loans from a private moneylender and was depressed over his crop loss due to scanty rainfall. Family members said he took the extreme step after losing mental balance over debt burden and massive crop loss.
Protesting against this, BJP activists blocked National Highway-59 at Baunsapal Chhak demanding compensation for the family of the deceased farmer. They demanded a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the kin of the deceased, loan waiver for farmers and declaration of the area as drought-hit.