Debt-ridden elderly farmer, son end life in Punjab’s Dasuya

In separate notes, blame Punjab government for not keeping word on waiving loans and Centre for ignoring farmers’ plight

A debt-ridden 70-year-old farmer and his 45-year-old son committed suicide by consuming poison in Dasuya sub division on Friday night.

The 70-year-old farmer had taken loan from a co-operative society that he was unable to repay, and this kept him under stress. (Representative image)

The incident came to light on Saturday when the septuagenarian’s other son, who lived nearby went to his father’s house to enquire about him.

The elderly farmer’s son said that his father owned only one acre in the village. He said his father had taken loan from a co-operative society which he was unable to repay, and this kept him under stress.

In the two suicide notes, the father and son mentioned the debt and blamed the Captain Amarinder Singh government for not waiving farmers’ loans despite promising to do so. They wrote that the Centre was ruining farmers and they were ending their lives in protest.

“Farmers have spent the winter on Delhi borders, but the government is not listening. We see their plight on TV channels and read about them in newspapers. We are ending our lives in protest,” wrote the elderly farmer.

On being informed, the police took the bodies to the civil hospital for post-mortem.

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Munish Kumar confirmed recovering the notes and said that appropriate action would be taken after taking into account the statement of the family members.