Farmers Movement Archive

Upset over loan recovery notices from bank, farmer’s wife dies by suicide in MP’s Bundelkhand

A 60-year-old woman in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region has allegedly died by suicide, her son told police on Wednesday and added she was distraught as her indebted farmer husband was receiving loan recovery notices from banks despite the Covid-19 pandemic.She allegedly consumed some poisonous substance on September 16 and was admitted to a local hospital. The case came to light when she died on Wednesday.The farmer said they grow vegetables on their farm for a living. He added his five sons worked as labourers in Delhi but they returned home after they could not find work due to the pandemic.Also read: Can govt assure no farmer will commit suicide after passage of farm bills? asks Sanjay RautOne of the woman’s sons said his father had taken two loans of Rs 25,000 each six years back for their sister’s marriage. “He has been getting notices from the banks for several months...to repay the loans that caused tremendous stress to him. My mother asked us to arrange money anyhow to repay the loans but we had no jobs here. We do not have even a ration card and no benefit from any other government scheme. We borrow food grains... My mother definitely consumed poison due to the banks’ notices.”Additional police superintendent Sameer Saurabh said the woman’s son has said she died by suicide as his father was under stress due to the notices. “We are conducting an investigation into it and will take action based on it.”A 65-year-old farmer in the Bundelkhand region earlier this month allegedly died by suicide after his crop was destroyed due to lack of rains. He was under stress as he was unable to pay his electricity bills and repay bank loans.

Hindustan Times

24-09-2020

Bhopal