ATTABIRA: The death watch continues in the rural pockets as the mandarins of power squabble over whether deaths of farmers were due to loan and crop loss or some other domestic reasons.
The latest victim is Maheswar Rohidas of Kadobahal village in Bargarh district. And it is the same old family story repeated many times over. Maheswar consumed pesticide and was rushed to VSS Medical but succumbed last night. This is the fourth suicide in the district.
Maheswar is survived by his wife Chaya, three married daughters and one son. Reports said while Rohidas owned 1.5 acres of land, he had taken on lease three more acres. Already reeling under pest attack and low yield, he suffered a severe jolt after his paddy produce got drenched in the sudden downpour yesterday devastating him completely.
Villagers said while the harvest from his 1.5 acres of land was in his hay yard, the rest was lying in the field after harvesting. But, with the paddy getting drenched in rain which he was aware would not fetch any price, he reportedly drank a mixture of three pesticides at his home last evening.
Moreover, Rohidas was debt ridden and had married off three of his daughters over last three years besides incurring loan for cultivation.
Villagers revealed that he was looking forward to repay his loans by selling his harvest till rain hit his plans.
Today after his body reached the village following an autopsy, hundreds of villagers including women blocked the State Highway 54 for about six hours at Kadobahal Chowk holding the body demanding compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
The situation eased off after Bargarh Sub-Collector Bishnu Prasad Mishra and Attabira BDO Narayan Singh Bariha reached the spot and handed over Rs 10,000 to perform the funeral rites. They also assured of extending all possible benefits under the welfare schemes to the family.