Debt-ridden farmer kills self in Meerut

His standing crops were destroyed in the rain last month.

A 50-year-old farmer committed suicide at Ahmed Nagar Badla village here by consuming poison as he was unable to repay his dues pending in the local sugar mill for the past two years.

His standing crops were destroyed in the rain last month. BJP leaders and also local farmers staged a demonstration demanding adequate compensation but the administration refused the demand saying a probe was on to find out the sequence of events leading to the death.

“More than a dozen farmers in the region have committed suicide following their long-pending dues in sugar mills but the state government is hand-in-glove with mill owners as a result of which no action has been taken against them,” said Vineet Sharda, a BJP leader.

As per the report lodged by the brother of the deceased, the farmer Rakesh Bansal decided to take the extreme step following his debt in the bank and non-payment of dues for the past two years.

“The compensation will be given only after an investigation on whether he died due to pending dues or not,” said Arvind Kumar Singh, ADM, Mawana.

Source:: Indian Express