A 26-year-old farmer committed suicide during an ongoing protest outside deputy commissioner’s office on Thursday morning.
The victim has been identified as Kuldeep Singh, a farmer from Chughe Kalan village in Bathinda district. Kuldeep was participating in an indefinite dharna demanding compensation of Rs 40,000 per acre to farmers whose crop had been damaged due to recent pest attack and Rs 20,000 per acre to farm labourers.
Kuldeep Singh allegedly consumed some poisonous substance last night, police said.
“As per preliminary reports, the farmer consumed some poisonous substance. However, the exact cause of the death can only become clear after the postmortem examination,” Bathinda’s SP (headquarters), Dr Nanak Singh said over phone on Thursday.
He was allegedly upset over loss of his cotton crop due to the whitefly attack.
Kuldeep Singh owned an acre of land on which he had sown cotton while on another four acres of rented land he sowed paddy.
The mater came to light when Kuldeep’s condition suddenly started deteriorated at around 2am on Thursday.
He was rushed to civil hospital from where he was referred to Faridkot Medical College. He died around 6am.
In a suicide note, the farmer blamed Punjab government for forcing him to take the extreme step.
{{/usCountry}}In a suicide note, the farmer blamed Punjab government for forcing him to take the extreme step.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the farmers continued their indefinite protest and are now demanding Rs 10 lakh compensation and a government job for a family member of deceased.
(With Agency Inputs)