2 farmers commit suicide after floods mars crops in Mansa

Gurjeet Singh, 32, a farmer of Musa village in Mansa district, who owned nearly 4 acres of land which was being used for cultivation of cotton, committed suicide on Monday evening.

He was one of the three brothers. All the brothers were engaged in farming.

According to the police, Gurjeet committed suicide by hanging himself with a wooden structure fitted in the ceiling of his house.

Due to floods, his crop of cotton had been spoilt and, perhaps, due to this reason, he took the extreme step, said station house officer (SHO) of Kotdharmu Chandan Singh.

Residents of the village said his wife and son were not at home when he committed suicide.

They also alleged that Gurjeet Singh had borrowed some money from a local policeman, who also threatened him with dire consequences if he didn't return the money soon.

"The cop pressurised him and threatened him to lodge false cases against him if he didn't repay him the money," said one of the villagers.

On September 7, another farmer Roop Singh of Chehlanwali village ended his life after jumping in front of the train near Maur railway station. The 62-year-old farmer, who was engaged in contract farming, received a major jolt as all his crops were destroyed due to floods.

"After his daughter's marriage, he went to his fields only to find that all his crops had been destroyed. He could not bear the destruction and soon went to Maur railway station and ended his life after jumping in front of the moving train," said one of the villagers. He had also reportedly taken a loan of Rs 2, 00,000 from a bank. He is survived by three daughters and one son.

The Bharat Kisan Union has expressed anguish over the recent suicide cases of famers in the region. "The government should announce compensation for the damaged crops at the earliest. We demand a loan waiver and suitable compensation to the farmers so that they get encouraged and don't think of ending their lives," said Ram Singh Bhainibagah, district president, Bharatiya Kisan Union.

Meanwhile, the agriculture department has claimed that the assessment report of the affected land will be available within a few days and then proper compensation will be announced.

The recent heavy rain had damaged cotton crop, which was at the flowering stage, over thousands of acres in the Malwa belt.