A 58-year-old debt-ridden farmer died allegedly by suicide in Chikkamagaluru district fearing eviction from a forest land he had reportedly encroached upon to grow coffee crops, police said on Wednesday, adding this was second such incident since authorities started issuing eviction notices.
Jayapura police inspector Ambarish said: “The farmer had borrowed ₹3 lakh from self-help groups and a local Grameena bank to cultivate coffee. Unable to repay the loan, and fearing eviction, he took this extreme step on Monday night. His body was found by his family on Tuesday morning.”
The farmer had allegedly encroached upon three acres of reserve forest land around a decade ago, where he cultivated coffee, he said.
The police have registered an unnatural death report and have launched an investigation into the incident.
On October 5, a 39-year-old farmer in Chikkamagaluru district allegedly died by suicide after battling for his life for three days. He had allegedly received an eviction notice from revenue authorities, who accused him of encroaching on government land, Chikkamagaluru Rural police inspector N Sachin said.
Recently, the survey and revenue departments had conducted a survey of lake encroachments in Chikkamagaluru district after which eviction notices were sent to several villagers for occupying parts of the land around Kenchenahalli lake. The deceased was allegedly served notice for allegedly encroaching on 14 gunta of land near his village’s lake, an area essential for his coffee and pepper crops.
{{/usCountry}}Recently, the survey and revenue departments had conducted a survey of lake encroachments in Chikkamagaluru district after which eviction notices were sent to several villagers for occupying parts of the land around Kenchenahalli lake. The deceased was allegedly served notice for allegedly encroaching on 14 gunta of land near his village’s lake, an area essential for his coffee and pepper crops.
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