Protest over farm suicide called off

BARGARH:The blockade on National Highway (NH)-6 at Kalapani by villagers over suicide of farmer Brunda Sahu was finally withdrawn after 16 hours on Thursday.The villagers had staged the road blockade on Wednesday morning after Sahu committed suicide following crop loss due to pest attack  

The blockade was lifted after Bargarh Collector Khagendra Padhi accompanied by local MLA Debesh Acharya assured the agitators that Sahu’s family will be covered under all Government welfare schemes. Moreover, it is also learnt that the protestors were under pressure from the deceased’s family to withdraw the blockade and release Sahu’s body.

The removal of the blockade saw traffic flow on the busy Kolkata–Mumbai NH 6, which was paralysed for 16 long hours, return to normalcy. Later, Sahu’s body was taken to the village where it was cremated in presence of villagers, the Collector, local MLA besides police officials.

A team, led by Bargarh Tehsildar Pratibha Dora, met the family of the deceased farmer and held discussion on their economic condition besides visiting the affected farm land.The Tehsildar admitted that the crop was damaged due to pest attack and said the report will be submitted to the Collector by this evening along with the crop loss assessment by Revenue Inspector.