A debt-ridden tribal farmer committed suicide after being allegedly denied seed and rebuked by a trader at Padamati Narsapuram in Julurupadu mandal shortly after Monday midnight.
The tragic incident came to light on Tuesday morning when grief-stricken relatives of the deceased staged a massive protest along with the body in front of the seed shop at Padamati Narsapuram. The police identified the deceased as Gagulothu Mancha, 45, a farmer of Panthulu Thanda in Julurupadu mandal.
Mancha reportedly approached a trader known to him at Padamati Narsapuram for supply of cotton seed on Monday. However, the trader allegedly refused to sell seed to him until he cleared the “unpaid dues.” When Mancha pleaded with the trader to give him some more time to clear the dues, the latter allegedly rebuked him.
Upset over the “shabby treatment” meted out to him by the trader, Mancha allegedly consumed pesticide at his house late on Monday night. He died while being rushed to a hospital midway.
Incensed over the incident, relatives of the deceased staged a demonstration. They alleged that the trader had abused the debt-ridden farmer by caste name and denied him seed.
They called off the demonstration after the police officials promised a detailed inquiry into the incident.