Debt-ridden farmer ends life

Nashik, Apr 11 (UNI) A debt-ridden onion farmer committed suicide by consuming poison in the Lasal village near here early today.

Police said, Somnath Desh village resident Pandurang Nabu Kadam (65) had come to the village, about 65 km from here, to sell his produce in the famous Lasal 'mandi'.

He consumed poison at around 0100 hrs today after frustration over not being able to get the right price for his onion crop and burdened with heavy debt.

On July nine, a debt-ridden farmer and his wife had also committed suicide in Shevga village of Aurangabad district.

According to information at the Divisional Commissionerate, Aurangabad, Marathwada region has recorded a total of 18 suicide deaths, majority by debt-ridden farmers, in the quarter ended March, 2006.

Beed district reported the highest number of farmers' suicides at five, followed by Parbhani - four, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Jalna and Latur districts reported two suicide deaths each, while one case was reported from Nanded.

UNI AKS-GK RL DS1525