E-Paper
Another MP farmer dies after waiting for days at market to sell crop, administration blamed
The farmer’s death triggered protests near the Narsinghgarh Mandi in Rajgarh district. The agitating farmers alleged that the Rajgarh district administration had made no arrangements for them to beat the scorching heat while waiting to sell their produce.
A Madhya Pradesh farmer died of cardiac arrest on Tuesday after having allegedly waited for his turn for the last three days in the heat for his agricultural produce to be weighed and sold at a mandi (market) in Rajgarh district. The district administration, however, denied that the farmer had waited for three days.
Omprakash Patidar, 34, a resident of Boda village in Rajgarh district, died at the Narsinghgarh Mandi around 5pm, according to fellow farmers. His death came five days after another farmer Moolchand Meena, 65, allegedly died under similar circumstances at Lateri Mandi in Vidisha district.
Omprakash’s death triggered protests near the Narsinghgarh Mandi in Rajgarh district, about 140 km northwest of state capital Bhopal. Farmers staged a protest and also blocked National Highway-12 passing through the town.
The agitating farmers alleged that the Rajgarh district administration had made no arrangements for them to beat the scorching heat while waiting to sell their produce.
“The process is too slow and we have been waiting in a queue for the last three days. There is no drinking water for us either,” said farmer Ramkishan Singh.
The farmers lifted the highway blockade after the district administration assured it would increase the number of weighing machines, arrange drinking water and provide other facilities.
The deceased’s brother Peru Patidar, who was with him when he died, declined to say anything. Fellow farmers said the Patidars’ produce was masoor dal (red lentils).
Rajgarh collector Karamveer Sharma said “rumours spread by anti-social elements” misled the farmers. “It was Peru Patidar who was waiting for his turn at the mandi. Omprakash Patidar came to the mandi in the afternoon only to give his brother food.”
Sharma added, “Weighing of the agriculture produce at the mandi was over for the day at 3.30pm, whereas Omprakash Patidar died at 5pm. He was having his food in the mandi’s canteen when he collapsed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where a doctor declared him dead. In the preliminary post-mortem report, it was found that he died of cardiac arrest.”
