On October 24, 2016, Chilchiched Ramulu committed suicide by consuming pesticide, under pressure from mounting debt. The cultivation he had taken up in four acres – two acres of their own (cotton) and two acres (paddy) leased out from other family members – was lost due to pest attack and heavy rains.
A debt of ₹18 lakh hung over his head and the prospect of borrowing further to compensate loss of crop served as an impetus to take such a drastic step. He was shifted to the Sangareddy government hospital and then to Gandhi hospital, where he breathed his last on October 27.
Since then, the responsiblity of the family fell on his wife Suvarna. Ramulu’s elder daughter Vijaya Lakshmi was forced to marry at the age of 17. “Jeedikanti Ramesh, a close relative, came forward to marry my sister. His father Asahaiah, also a farmer, had committed suicide one month after my father committed suicide. We wouldn’t have been able to afford dowry and also the relationship was from within the family. So we performed the marriage in the month of May this year, on a small pandal erected before our house,” said Ch. Srihari, son of late Ramulu. “Revenue officials visited our house in our absence and sought the details from the neighbours. Now they are saying that my father’s death does not entitle us to government provisions in such a case of suicide. My father had spoken about the debts with me alone. How then, did the officials come to such a conclusion,” asked Srihari. My elder sister became a drop- out and forced to marry before the legal age, which could have been averted had the government extended ex-gratia under farmer’s suicide category, he added.
When contacted, the mandal revenue officer said that the farmer should have land on his name and the team of revenue and agriculture officials and the police have to conduct panchanama.
The officer, however, admitted that she had not visited the village in this case.
