BHOPAL: Even as Madhya Pradesh slowly limps back to normalcy after a violent agrarian uprising, two farmers reportedly committed suicide in the State over the last 24 hours and a third died under mysterious circumstances.
The total number of farmer suicides reported from the State over the last one week now stands at five.
Makhanlal Lomwanshi, 65, allegedly committed suicide by hanging from a tree in Hoshangabad district. Relatives claimed Lomwanshi was under acute depression after having sold his land to settle a loan of `6 lakh that he owed to private money lenders.
The police have registered a case under Section 174 of CrPC.
Meanwhile, a 45-year-old Dalit farmer identified as Hari Singh Jatav allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison in Shamsabad area of Vidisha district.
His kin alleged that faulty measurement of his land by the revenue department patwari on June 11, which resulted in Jatav losing land to his brother, triggered the suicide. Officials have denied any irregularity in the measurement process.
An alleged case of suicide, by consuming poison, was also reported from Sehore, home district of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Relatives of 52-year-old Duli Chand claimed he had consumed poison as he was reeling under a debt of Rs 8 lakh. However, block medical officer Dr. Meharban Singh said the postmortem report “does not suggest any poisoning or suicide”, and it’s possible the farmer died due to illness.