A debt-ridden farmer in Kerala's Wayanad has committed suicide (Representational Image)
In another case of farmer suicide in Kerala, a 55-year-old man ended his life by allegedly consuming poison at Pullappy in Wayanad district, police said today.
The farmer has been identified as Ankittan, who belonged to the Pullapally village and is said to have consumed poison yesterday. He was admitted to a hospital by his relatives, but died today morning.
In May, another debt-ridden farmer from Wayanad - 53-year-old Dinesh Kumar had ended his life by consuming poison.
Dinesh Kumar had taken a loan of Rs 10 lakh from three banks and was reportedly facing recovery proceedings when he decided to take the extreme step.
Following Dinesh's suicide, Wayanad lawmaker Rahul Gandhi had sent a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking assistance to the deceased's family.
Rahul Gandhi, in his letter dated May 28, had said that he was "deeply saddened" by the suicide and requested the state government to conduct an inquiry while extending financial support to the family.
"(Dinesh) Kumar's case isn't an isolated one. There have been a spate of farmer suicides in Wayanad, due to an inability to repay loans. What is disturbing is that while the Government of Kerala has announced a moratorium on repayment of farm loans till December 31, 2019, yet farmers are still being pressurised and hounded by loan collection agents," Rahul Gandhi had said in his letter.
In his reply to Rahul Gandhi's letter, Chief Minister Vijayan had said the issue of providing relief to the families of farmers, who committed suicide over failure to repay bank loans, needs to be raised in Parliament.
The Union Government needs to take a stand regarding the agricultural loans taken by farmers from commercial banks, he had said.
Kerala, which faced the worst deluge in 100 years in August last year, resulting in severe crop loss, has decided to approach the Reserve Bank of India seeking extension of moratorium on farmers loans till December 31.
Mr Vijayan has also asked banks to be more considerate and make things less complicated for the farmers availing agricultural loans.
Eighteen debt-ridden farmers, who were unable to pay off their farm loan dues had committed suicide in the past one and half years in Kerala after banks began recovery procedures.