Farmer dies by suicide over debt in Tumkur

The deceased had allegedly taken a loan of more than ₹3 lakh from private finance institutions and banks several times in past six years to develop his one-acre areca nut estate

A 38-year-old farmer allegedly died by suicide in Chikkannanahalli village, Tumkur district, allegedly due to growing debt that he took to develop his one-acre areca nut farm, according to police officials familiar with the matter.

Due to acute drought, the farmer took several loans to save his one-acre areca nut farm. (File Photo)

The police said that the deceased was identified as a farmer in Chikkannana Halli, under the jurisdiction of Tovinakere Gram Panchayat in Koratagere police station limits in Tumkur district.

The police said that the deceased had allegedly taken a loan of more than ₹3 lakh from private finance institutions and banks several times in past six years to develop his one-acre areca nut estate. However, due to acute drought, the plants started drying up. In a bid to save the plants, he took more loans to dig a tube well on April 22, which failed. On May 2, he dug up another tube well, but this also failed. Unable to bear the disappointment and growing debt and interest, he died by suicide on Sunday night.

The police quoted the family members as stating that the deceased had left home for his farm on Sunday night and they came to know of his absence only in the morning. Upon searching, his body was found in the farmland, they said.

Veerabhadrappa, a farmer residing near his farm, said: “The deceased was a hard worker and has been working on his one-acre land from morning to evening, growing multiple vegetables for a decade. In past six years, he dug up seven bore wells, but all failed. He went into depression as creditors pressured him to repay the loan. Unable to bear the financial loss, he ended his life. He spent more than ₹3 lakh for digging tube wells.”

Koratagere police inspector Manjunath said: “The deceased is survived by two sons and a wife. We found that the deceased owed lakhs of rupees in loans that he took from money lenders. We have registered a case and are ascertaining the exact loan amount by collecting details from financial institutions. We are yet to know the exact timing of his death. His postmortem was conducted at Koratagere government hospital and the body was handed over to the family on Monday.”