Yet another debit-ridden farmer ends life in Karnataka

Mandya, Jun 29: In the second case of suicide by a debit-ridden farmer in the district since last week, a 37-year-old man, slapped with a bank notice to repay his farm loan, allegedly ended his life, police said today. Shivalinge Gowda alias Kumar of Honnanayakanahalli village committed suicide by jumping into a well in his field last night, they said.

This is the second such incident in the district since last week. A distressed debt-ridden sugarcane farmer set afire the crop he had grown and jumped into the blaze at Ganadahosuru village on June 25.

In the latest case, Kumar had obtained a loan of Rs 3 lakh from State Bank of India for cultivation of sericulture and sugarcane. The bank had served a notice on Gowda on June 27 asking him to repay the loan amount along with interest, police said.

"This incident may have led to his suicide," they added. According to family sources, Gowda had left his house yesterday, saying he would visit the field and return, but allegedly committed suicide. Mandya District SP Bhushan G Borase, Additional Deputy Commissioner Arul Kumar and Deputy SP Udesh visited the spot. Police registered a case and are investigating. A farmer had committed suicide in similar circumstances in Nanjangud in Mysuru District recently.

PTI