RANCHI: A farmer at Uldanda village, about 30 kilometers from Daltonganj, in Jharkhand hanged himself after a diktat issued by community heads imposed a fine on him for his daughter having an affair with a youth of another community.
Police said that the farmer allegedly was also made to do 51 sit-ups before the panchayat after which he hanged himself from a tree soon after leaving the place as he could not tolerate the humiliation.
Police lodged an FIR in this regard, naming seven persons of the community charging them of abetment of suicide.
Brother in law of the deceased, Chando Prajapati also asserted that a community panchayat, headed by Ramchandra Parajapti was held on Sunday.
“When my brother-in-law expressed ignorance about the affair of his daughter, the community members thrashed him badly and imposed a fine of `41,000 on him but when he pleaded before them that he would not be able to deposit such a huge amount, first they decreased it to `31,000, then `21,000 and finally to `11,000. He was also made to do 51 sit-ups before the Panchayat,”
Chando Prajapati was quoted as saying.
After taking loans from different people, the farmer deposited `7000 to the panchayat, with a promise to pay the rest amount soon, he added.
Prajapti further added that after the panchayat dispersed, his brother-in-law went into the jungles for taking his cattle back home, but did not return after that.
The farmer’s daughter and wife kept waiting for the man to rest for two days but he did not return and the villagers found his body hanging from a tree near the village on Tuesday evening.