Farmer commits suicide as CPI(M) activists try to occupy land

Machilipatnam, May 20 (UNI) A farmer allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh yesterday, when activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) ''tried to occupy'' his 1.15 acre of land.

Police today said the farmer, cultivating the land for the last 30 years, resorted to the extreme step, when the CPI(M) activists, as part of their Statewide land occupation programme, barged into his land. He died on the way to hospital.

Meanwhile, as many as 143 activists of the CPI, including 40 women, were arrested at Ghantasala while trying to occupy endowment lands.

UNI