Another Farmer Commits Suicide in Drought-hit Karnataka

Fifty-year-old farmer Tayamma consumed poison on Sunday night as she was unable to repay her loan.

The deaths have been reportedly attributed to the drought in the state. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Another case of farmer suicide has been reported in Karnataka. Fifty-year-old Tayamma, who owned a 6-acre plot in Belawadi village in Hassan district’s Arkalagudu taluk, died after consuming poison on 6 March.

Tayamma died in the wee hours of Monday morning. According to the Hassan police, she had taken a loan of Rs 4 lakh from Vijaya Bank. She had also sold her gold jewellery for her farm.

“Tayamma grew ginger and corn in her 6-acre plot. Due to water shortage, her crops died and she was unable to repay the loan,” the Hassan SP said.

“She had already received two notices from the bank. She consumed the pesticide she had bought for the crops and the doctors could not save her. Her husband, Girigowda, had died a few years ago and there was no other source of income. A case of farmer suicide has been registered,” the SP said.

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Fourth Farmer Suicide in 5 Weeks in Karnataka

On 8 February, 40-year-old Eeranna Gowda allegedly committed suicide in Belakeri village of Haveri district’s Byadagi taluk. The scanty rains allegedly led him to take the step. The farmer had obtained a loan of Rs 20 lakh for growing maize and cotton on his six-acre plot.

Rudra Gowda, a 58-year-old farmer, consumed poison on 7 February in Sankenahalli in Hassan district’s Beluru taluk. He had taken loans worth Rs 7 lakh, both from the bank and from private moneylenders, but was unable to repay it because his paddy crop had failed due to water shortage.

Madhu Kumar, 23, allegedly committed suicide on 7 February. Kumar, who owned a 1.5-acre plot in Mandya’s district’s Kabbare village, where he cultivated paddy, allegedly took the step after he failed to repay a bank loan of Rs 2.5 lakh –which he had taken to install a bore well.

(This article was originally published in The News Minute)