KOCHI: A fisherman died by suicide after his repeated attempts to secure documents from government offices for a loan failed.
The deceased was identified as Sajeevan Koikkal of Malyankara at Vadakkekara in Ernakulam. Police said it was on Thursday that the body of Sajeevan was found hanging from a tree at the premises of his house by his wife.
"A suicide note was recovered from his body during the inquest. We are verifying the note," police said.
His relatives said that the suicide note had blamed the government and the officials for his decision to take the extreme step. He had submitted several applications before the village office and office of Fort Kochi Revenue Division Officer (RDO) for necessary documents to pledging his four cents of land in a bank to avail a loan.
They said Sajeevan had been running from pillar to post in the last one-and-a-half years to convert his four cents of land under the paddy land conversion scheme.
Sajeevan and his family were living in a house situated in the four cents. He decided to avail a bank loan by pledging the property as his debt mounted in a private chitty company from where he had borrowed money after pledging his house.
However, his attempts to get the bank loan failed when the village office and the Fort Kochi RDO failed to give the necessary documents. "Though he approached Moothakunnam Village Office, Paravur Taluk Office and Fort Kochi RDO several times to get his paddy land converted to plain land after his land was found listed as paddy land in data bank, he couldn't get the necessary documents for the same," said a relative.
Meanwhile, Kerala Revenue Minister K Rajan has announced a detailed probe into the incident following protests over the death of the fisherman. He said a joint land revenue commissioner has been assigned to look into the incident and file a report within one week. "We will take necessary action against those who delayed clearing the application of the fisherman," he told reporters.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)