Sign in

MP farmer, his son die after jumping into river, daughter missing: Police

A farmer in Madhya Pradesh died by suicide with his two children; bodies found in a river. Debt may have driven him to this tragedy.

Updated on: Sep 20, 2024, 21:04:52 IST
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

BHOPAL: A farmer in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district died by suicide along with his two children, police said on Friday.

The state disaster response force personnel are searching for the man’s five-year-old daughter (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The state disaster response force personnel are searching for the man’s five-year-old daughter (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Sohagi police station in-charge Pawan Shukla said the incident took place at 9:30pm on Thursday at Rajapur bridge in Rewa. “The farmer parked his bike on the bridge over Tamas river and kept the mobile phone on the bike before jumping from the bridge.... The search operation was started on Friday morning,” he said.

Police said the body of the farmer and his four-year-old was fished out from the river 20 km away in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. There is no word on his five-year-old daughter who was also with him. Police said a team of the State Disaster Response Force has been searching for the little girl since morning.

The deceased father said his son left home on his motorcycle with his two children, ostensibly to buy them school uniform. “When he didn’t return till 9pm, his wife called him up. My son said that he would reached home soon. When she couldn’t get through to him again half an hour later, his wife reached out to a relative for help. When Manjhi called his number, a stranger received the call and told him that the motorcycle and phone were at Rajpur bridge”.

“We reached Rajapur bridge and searched around, but my son and both the children were not found. After this, the police were informed , he added.

Police said it is not clear why the man died by suicide. His father speculated it could have been due to a debt.

The father said he was a member of credit co-operative society and had taken a loan to make the downpayment for a loading vehicle. “He was facing difficulty repaying the loan and paying the instalment of the vehicle. He might have taken this extreme step due to this,” he added.

If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.

Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secundrabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000, ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290

  • Shruti Tomar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shruti Tomar

    I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More