CUDDALORE: A 47-year-old farmer died after consuming pesticide, allegedly depressed after recovery agents of a private bank seized his tractor, in Kattumannarkoil near Cuddalore.
The deceased, S Tamilarasan, of Karunaganallur village, had been engaged in groundnut cultivation for several years. In 2017, he took a loan from a private bank to buy a new tractor after exchanging his old tractor.
Sources claimed as per the loan agreement, Tamilarasan had to pay a total of Rs 7,20,000 in eight instalments of Rs 90,000 each, twice a year, from 2017. Tamilarasan paid the first two instalments fully, but could make only a partial payment of the third instalment, ie Rs 50,000. As Rs 40,000 was pending, the recovery agents of private bank came to Tamilarasan’s house on Wednesday.
A heated argument ensued and villagers gathered around Tamilarasan’s house. In the end, the bank agents seized the tractor and left.
Depressed over this, Tamilarasan consumed pesticide that was kept in the house for agricultural purposes.
On Wednesday evening, Tamilarasan’s wife Valarmathi found him lying unconscious and soon alerted neighbours. They took him to Kattumannarkoil GH, from where he was later shifted to Chidambaram.
However, due to the heavy dose of pesticide he consumed, Tamilarasan succumbed on Friday morning. Tamilarasan is survived by wife Valamathi, son Thangadurai (23) and daughter Dhanalakshmi (16).
Subsequently, a group of villagers picketed Chidambaram revenue divisional office demanding a probe. V Elankeeran, a resident of Kattumanarkovil and president of Federation of Cauvery Delta Farmers Association, along with other farmers, staged a protest in front of the private bank.
‘Farmers facing several issues’
Speaking to Express, Elankeeran, said, “Farmers in the delta region have been facing several issues, including water scarcity. Added to this, the pressure exerted by banks is pushing farmers to suicide.”