With no money to buy seeds, Chhatarpur farmer ends life

Relatives of the 70-year-old farmer, who allegedly committed suicide in a village in Chhatarpur district, attributed his death to his failure in getting money from a bank he desperately needed for crops.

Relatives of the 70-year-old farmer, who allegedly committed suicide in a village in Chhatarpur district, attributed his death to his failure in getting money from a bank he desperately needed for crops.

“Had he got money from the bank in exchange of his old notes, he would not have committed suicide,” said Bhupendra Lodhi, relative of the deceased farmer Halke Lodhi.

Halke, hailing from Dharkuwha village in Bada Malehra police circle of Chhatarpur district, was found hanging at his residence on Sunday morning.

He had been visiting SBI’s Bada Malehra branch for three days but couldn’t get his money exchanged due to long queues. He needed the money for seeds and fertilisers. During Rabi sowing season, a period of three-four days is important to get seeds and fertilisers.

Quoting the deceased’s son Makhan, Bhupendra said Makhan’s father had told him that money was needed urgently for the crops.

Police, however, attributed the suicide to family feud.

According to Bada Malehra police station officer ZY Khan, Halke had distributed his ancestral farm land (approximately 8 acres) equally among his two sons and the family of a deceased son, but they were not happy and this led to frequent quarrels.

He was also suffering from breathing ailments and all these circumstances led to the suicide. There was no tension on account of exchange of old currency notes, police said.