Farmer commits suicide in Jharkhand after officials block water into his field

RANCHI: Yet another farmer allegedly committed suicide at Sakrauli village under Sisai Block in Gumla district of Jharkhand by hanging himself from the ceiling of his house. Family members claimed that the farmer, Balkeshwar Oraon, was very tensed for the last one week about how he would take care of his family after forest officials blocked water into his fields by digging a trench beside it.

The district administration, admitting that trench cutting might also be one of the reasons behind his suicide, said that it was a matter of investigation and they wouldn't be able to say anything until a thorough investigation had been done. "Water not reaching into the fields of Balkeshwar Oraon after a trench was dug by the forest department, might also be one of the reasons behind the suicide," said Sisai Block Development Officer Manoranjan Kumar. If the matter was brought to the notice of block administration, action could have been taken after conducting an inquiry in this regard, he added.

The wife of the deceased, Rukmini, said that her husband was quite tensed after the trench was dug beside his fields and committed suicide on Friday morning by hanging himself from the ceiling of his thatched house. "My husband was very tensed since the trench was dug by the forest department thinking that if he tried to bring water into his fields, forest officials will send him to jail following which the whole family will have to suffer and hence, committed suicide in tension," said the wife. He used to work for daily wages and earned Rs 200 per day, as farming was not enough to feed the family of four, she added.