Debt-ridden farmer dies by suicide, son says farming not profitable
WARANGAL: A debt-ridden farmer, Lachiram, 45, of Venkatapur village in Warangal district ended his life by consuming pesticide on Sunday. He was the husband of Venkatapur vice-sarpanch J Lalitha.
Lachiram was facing pressure from moneylenders to repay the Rs 3 lakh he had borrowed two years ago. Sources said the victim stayed away from his family for some time due to harassment from moneylenders.
On Sunday he came home to Gangadevi thanda and had lunch with his family. When moneylenders came to know about his presence at home, they arrived at his doorstep and demanded repayment of the loan. Lachiram reportedly threw his plate at them and fled.
Later in the night, Lalitha received tragic news from her neighbours about Lachiram lying unconscious and frothing from his mouth on the outskirts of the tanda.
He was taken to a private hospital in Nekkonda where the doctors declared him dead. Lalitha blamed the moneylenders for forcing her husband to take the extreme step.
Lachiram who grew cotton and red chilli crops on his three-acre land had borrowed Rs 3 lahks from the moneylenders at high monthly interest.
Speaking to TNIE, J Naveen, son of Lachiram, who is an intermediate student in Hyderabad, said that he had received the news of his father’s death from his relatives.
“Since we did not get a crop loan from any recognised bank, we depended on moneylenders for funds to cultivate our land,” he said, adding that he did not want to live as a farmer.
Meanwhile, police have filed a case into the incident.
(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.)