RAJANNA-SIRCILLA : Mounting debts are believed to be the reason for two powerloom workers ending their life by suicide in two separate incidents in Sircilla on Thursday.
While a 60 year-old debt-ridden powerloom worker, identified as Ankarapu Mallesham, took the extreme step of hanging himself from a tree at Indiranagar of Thangallapally mandal, Adicherla Sai, 25, ended his life at his residence.
Mallesham’s brother-in-law Vaddepalli Anandam told TNIE that the victim stepped out of the house in the morning saying that he has work at a powerloom unit.
However, he hanged himself from a tamarind tree around 11 am. The locals saw the body and informed the police.
Anandam said that when he could find work, Mallesham used to earn between `12,000 and `15,000 per month, but life had gotten tougher for powerloom workers over the last few years. “Due to non-availability of work, it is becoming increasingly difficult to survive and the family is facing financial difficulties,” he said.
Recently, Mallesham’s wife fractured her left while his daughter became a mother. “He was unable to meet the day-to-day expenses. He had taken loans of `1.5 lakh from some private individuals and was worried about repayment,” Anandam said.
Feeling humiliated and getting increasingly desperate, Mallesham took the extreme step, police believe. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.
In another, Adicherla Sai, another powerloom worker, took the extreme step as he was unable to pay his medical bills. Ill health had forced him to stop working and the family has spent lakhs on his treatment.
Powerloom Workers Association district president Kodam Ramana said that five powerloom workers had died by suicide in the last 40 days alone as the industry faces a crisis due to lack of orders.
“Powerloom workers in Sircilla are not getting orders. There is hardly any work,” Ramana said.
He demanded immediate steps from the state government to ensure work for the sector to prevent further suicides. Ramana also alleged that the authorities were misreporting suicides. “Instead of financial crisis, they are attributing the suicides to health issues,” Ramana said, adding that Adicherla Sai would not have taken the extreme step if he had money for his treatment.
Meanwhile, BRS working president KT Rama Rao who was in Sircilla for election meetings, visited the homes for the suicide victims and consoled the families.