PHULBANI : A farmer of Kilupada village in Kandhamal district committed suicide by consuming pesticides over crop loss. The farmer, Gobardhan Mallick, had taken up paddy cultivation on three acres of land in the kharif season. On Tuesday, he had sprayed pesticide on the paddy plants to protect them from pest attacks. But flood, triggered by incessant rains, damaged his paddy crops in the last two days.
Unable to bear the loss, he consumed pesticide on Thursday. The family members found him unconscious in the agriculture field and took him to K Nuagaon hospital. He was later shifted to Sub-Divisional Hospital at Baliguda on Friday. He died on Saturday.Family members alleged that Gobardhan was under mentally stressed following the crop loss.