Farmer dies waiting in queue for fertiliser in Uttar Pradesh

Kripal said his father had slept outside Rajput Khaad Bhandar in Jugpura area on Thursday night. “Today, he was waiting for his turn in the queue but fell unconscious and was taken to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead,” he said

A 58-year-old farmer died in a queue outside a fertiliser shop on Friday in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur district, where he was allegedly waiting for his turn for the last two days, said his son, Kripal.

A farmer died in a queue outside a fertiliser shop in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur district, where he was allegedly waiting for his turn for the last two days. (Representational image)

“Bhogilal Pal of Nayagaon died due to cardiac arrest at a fertiliser shop around 9.30 am. He was standing in a queue for the past two days,” Superintendent of Police Nikhil Pathak was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Kripal said his father had slept outside Rajput Khaad Bhandar in Jugpura area on Thursday night. “Today, he was waiting for his turn in the queue but fell unconscious and was taken to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead,” he said. The deceased farmer was waiting to get fertiliser for their two-acre land.

Soon after the incident, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav sought compensation for the farmer’s family and attacked the Uttar Pradesh government in a tweet, saying never in the “history of independent India has the farmer been so harassed and humiliated”.

Later in the day, district magistrate A Dinesh Kumar met the deceased farmer’s family and assured a compensation of ₹5 lakh from the chief minister relief fund. “We have written to the government for the release of compensation money,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union president Lakhan Pal demanded a compensation of ₹50 lakh for the family. The Congress threatened to protest in case higher compensation was not paid to the deceased farmer’s family.

Lalitpur has been witnessing a massive surge in the demand for fertiliser over the last one week. The DM said the seasonal rain that lashed the district has increased the demand manifold. The sowing, which was supposed to be done in 30-40 days, will now have to be completed within 10 days. “As a result, the farmers are turning up at the fertiliser shops in large number,” the DM added.

Earlier, farmers struggling to get fertilisers had blocked the traffic on Lalitpur-Madavara and Galla Mandi roads on Wednesday.