NAGAPATTINAM: A 58-year-old farmer ended his life by jumping in front of a speeding train near Nagapattinam on Saturday morning.
R Ramesh Babu was allegedly feeling anguished over the loss of crops due to the recent cyclone and unseasonal rains. He had about three hectares of land in Mohanambalpuram in Vadakku Panaiyur where he had cultivated paddy in about a hectare.
"Ramesh Babu's crops took a hit in the recent unseasonal rains and Cyclone Burevi. His family and locals say that he was in agony over the lost crops and the need to pay back his loans. He had taken a loan from a nationalised bank and the cooperative bank," a police official told The New Indian Express.
Ramesh Babu had left home in the wee hours. A superfast train from Ernakulum heading towards Karaikal was passing near Aavarani around 11 am. He went to the tracks, jumped in front of the speeding train and died on the spot. Ramesh Babu is survived by his wife and two sons.
Personnel from the Government Railway Police retrieved his remains and sent it for an autopsy around noon. The farmer’s suicide shocked his family, villagers and the local farming community.
A case has been registered in the Government Railway Police Station in Nagapattinam. Further investigations are underway.
An area of about 118079 hectares of paddy cultivation was affected by Cyclone Burevi in December and unseasonal rains in January, leading to one of the worst losses in history in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or 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.)