In a development that put the ruling BJP at the Centre in the dock, a distressed farmer from Yavatmal district in Vidarbha region committed suicide on Tuesday morning by consuming poison, after blaming the Narendra Modi Government for his decision to take the extreme step.
In his suicide note, 50-year old farmer from Rajurwadi village in Yavatmal district—Shankar Bhaurao Chayre—held Prime Minister Narendra Modi as among persons responsible for his death and sought help financial assistance to his family.
More than 12 hours after the incident, Chayre’s family members refused to accept his body from the morgue of the Vasantrao Naik Medical College Hospital for performing last rights.
Chayre’s family members said that they would not accept the deceased farmer’s body and perform last rites, till such time Modi visited them to enquire about their plight or the Maharashtra Government handed over the full compensation.
Reacting to the Chayre family’s demand, Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission (SNSSM) President Kishore Tiwari—who has for more than a decade crusading for the welfare of the distressed farmers in Vidarbha region—said that he would visit the bereaved family members on Wednesday morning and offer them an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh.
“We shall provide an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh to Chayre’s family. We will adopt the children of Chayre and provide free education or gainful employment as is necessary,” “Tiwari said.
Chayre is survived by his wife, their three daughters and a son. Of the daughters, one is married. Meanwhile, reports reaching the State headquarters from Yavatmal said that Chayre went to his farmland in the morning and attempted to hang himself from a tree.
However, when the rope snapped, Chayre consumed poison and fell unconscious, even as some workers rushed him to a local hospital in a serious condition. He was declared dead before he was taken to the district medical hospital at Yavatmal.
In a two-page handwritten suicide note recovered by the police from his body, Chayre narrated the manner in which he had sought help from various officials in the State and Central Government, including MPs, MlAs, State Ministers and others but he did not succeed in his efforts.
According to the suicide note, the Chayre family has a nine-acre farm on which the deceased farmer had planted cotton. For the purpose, Chayre had taken a loan of Rs 90,000 from a local cooperative society and Rs 300,000 from a private money lender.