A 30-year-old farmer committed suicide by drinking pesticide in Malegaon on Saturday, as he could not pay off his loans.
Police sources said Ravindra Abhiman Nikam (30) of at Dabhadi village in Malegaon tehsil had taken loans worth several lakhs of rupees.
Bank officials had confiscated his tractor six months ago due to non-payment of the loan installments, they said. Sources also said that despite selling his four acres of farmland, Nikam was unable to pay off the loans. Also, according to his family, he had gone into depression after selling the farmland.
Police sources said that Nikam commited suicide by draning pesticide and his body was found near Lendi nala bridge in Dhabadi Shivar. The incident was reported to the police by a fellow farmer.
Nikam had gotten married two years ago and is survived by his wife, daughter and parents. Nikam’s father Abhiman Nikam said his son had committed suicide due to the loans.
Significantly, two legislators including a minister are from Dabhadi village. Meanwhile, in a novel gesture, students of Vidya Prashala High School and junior college of Anjaneri village near Nashik City, donated money towards the families of farmers who had committed suicide.
The students joined a workshop and learned to make lanterns and other articles used in diwali. They sold the products and donated the amount to Nam Foundation. The teachers also contributed some amount, sources said.
