BHOPAL: Heavy debt burden drove a farmer to die by suicide in Harda district of Madhya Pradesh.
The 44-year-old Rajesh Karode of Dagvashankar village consumed celphos, a fumigant used for control of field rodents and insect pests, on June 7. He was admitted to the Harda District Hospital where he succumbed on Friday.
Assistant sub-inspector of police at local police station Sandeep Kushwaha said that Rajesh Karode's son claimed that his father owed private loan sharks worth Rs 40 lakh. Private money lenders were troubling him on a daily basis for recovery of the outstanding dues.
The outstanding loan sum had peaked to Rs 40 lakh, as the money lenders had imposed 10% interest on the loan, which was increasing the payable sum with every passing month.
Owing to the mounting dues, the farmer was forced to sell 10 acres of land, his son alleged.
Tweeting over the incident, former CM and present state Congress president Kamal Nath wrote, “I urge all farmers not to give up, but wait for another five months. Once the Congress government is in power, the farmers’ loans will be waived off.”
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