Three farmers allegedly committed suicide during the last 24 hours in separate incidents in Nashik’s Malegaon taluka, bringing the toll of farmer suicide deaths this year in Malegaon to 19.
Three farmers allegedly committed suicide during the last 24 hours in separate incidents in Nashik’s Malegaon taluka, bringing the toll of farmer suicide deaths this year in Malegaon to 19.
The incidents occurred in various villages of Malegaon on Tuesday, the police said. Malegaon additional collector Dilip Swamy told The Asian Age on Wednesday that it was a tragic issue.
“We are collecting information about their loans and whether the financial institutions were enforcing recovery,” said Mr Swami, who took charge two days ago.
In the first incident of the day, the body of Ganesh Himmat Vachhav (33) was found hanging on a tree, near his house in Sonaj village.
Vachhav had taken loans of Rs 45,000 and Rs 41,000 on his two farms measuring 1.2 acres and 0.62 acres. He is survived by his wife, son, a sick daughter and parents. Vachhav was working as a labourer as the crops had failed, the police said.
In the second incident in Padalde village, the body of Mahesh Bansilal Sonawane (33) was found lying in the fields in Pimple shivar. Sonawane had taken loans worth approximately Rs 1 lakh on his five acre farm, the police said.
He had sowed onion and cotton but the crops dried up due to drought. Sonawane had gone to the fields around 7 am on Tuesday, where he consumed poison. In the third incident, in Zodge village, farmer Praveen Bhatu Magar (48) committed suicide by taking poison.
Magar’s family owned the farm jointly and his portion was two acres. Sources said the deceased had taken about Rs 3 lakh as loan.
