Bargarh/Sambalpur: The spate of farmer suicides has triggered an outrage in the state, with another farmer in Bargarh district ending life by consuming poison allegedly due to crop failure after pest attack and unseasonal rains. This is the seventh instance of farmer suicide in last two months in the district alone.
The deceased farmer, identified as Pradeep Khamari of Behera village under Khuntapalli Panchayat, had reportedly cultivated paddy in his one and half acre land.
According to his family's allegations, Pradeep was under severe mental pressure due to Brown Plant Hopper attack resulting in huge crop loss following which he took the extreme step and consumed poison.
Rescued, Pradeep was immediately shifted to Bargarh Sadar Hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.
Meanwhile, Bargarh MLA Debesh Acharya reached the hospital to pacify the family. State BJP Vice President Aswini Sadangi also expressed remorse and demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the deceased.
In another incident, a 45-year-old farmer Kanhu Munda of Mundapada Rasanpur village under Maneswar block of Sambalpur district allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide. He was rushed to Sadar Hospital and died while undergoing treatment, sources said.
Kanhu's family claimed that he was forced to take the extreme step due to crop loss following unseasonal rains.
Similarly, farmer Manoj Singh of Kuarnkela village in Sundergarh district allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison over debt burden and crop loss due to pest attack.
The suicide is the 13th such case reported since October in Odisha.
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