Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Feb 5 (IANS) A debt-ridden farmer from a village in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region climbed on a lit pyre and committed suicide Wednesday, the second such incident since November last year, an activist said here Thursday.
Anandrao S. Pandagle, 45, a resident of Bhambh village, is survived by his wife and three teenaged daughters, said Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishore Tiwari.
Preliminary police investigations revealed he had farm debts of Rs.50,000 and was trying to collect another Rs.12,000 for his eldest daughter's marriage.
"He was alone at home, poured kerosene on himself, prepared and lit his own funeral pyre before climbing on it... By the time locals rushed to help, he was burnt to death," Tiwari told IANS.
This is the second instance of its kind in the region.
On Nov 28 last year, 75-year old farmer Kashiram B. Indare of Manarkhed village lit his own funeral pyre in a field. Earlier presumed missing, his charred remains were discovered after a couple of days.
Vidarbha has been rocked by five more suicides since Wednesday, according to Tiwari, even as the desperate farmers' patience was running out in the wake of official apathy to their plight.
The victims are: Ramkrishan Bhalavi of Talni village and Ambadas Wahile of Gunji village, both in Amravati district; Sanju Gawande of Saikheda village in Washim district; Vijay Tadas of Ghorad village and Nanaji Ingole of Kanheri village, both in Wardha district.
In December, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the state government on the issue of debt-ridden farmers' suicides in Maharashtra following a public interest litigation filed by a lawyer R.U. Upadhyay.
Similarly, the National Human Rights Commission has also sent a notice to the state government seeking a report on the incident, even as the spate of farmland suicides continues unabated in Maharashtra.
Last week, the Shiv Sena strongly criticized it ruling ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, for ignoring the plight of the farmers though Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hails from the Vidarbha region.
Gujarat: Kejriwal announces, AAP will contest all assembly seats in 2022
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrived in Gujarat on a one-day visit today. Kejriwal went s
Vladimir Putin Visit to India: Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India on 6 December fo
new Delhi. The condition of Corona virus has worsened the condition of most of the countries arou
Hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir not effective in covid-19 treatment: WHO
The World Health Organization has identified four drugs, including remadecivir and hydroxychloroq
When the first phase of voting is going on, suddenly Prime Minister Modi reached Saharanpur. He a
For the last two years, the whole world is suffering from Corona. On one hand, every year with a
Delhi Government Free Ration Scheme: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has made a big announce
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's troubles are not decreasing in the CBI corruption case rel
Over 100,000 invites for Mulayam kin's pre-wedding ceremony
Etawah, Feb 19 (IANS) A staggering 100,000 invites, including to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Coronavirus: Corona is hiding in a new place in the body, now even RT-PCR test is not being detected
The second wave of Corona in India is wreaking havoc. The variant of Coronavirus that has led to
