Yavatmal farmer commits suicide, blames Modi in note

Avoidable tragedy: Wife of farmer Shankar Bhaurao Chayare is beside herself with grief after he committed suicide on Tuesday. Chayare (bottom right) has left a suicide note blaming the Modi government for forcing him to take this step.

Avoidable tragedy: Wife of farmer Shankar Bhaurao Chayare is beside herself with grief after he committed suicide on Tuesday. Chayare (bottom right) has left a suicide note blaming the Modi government for forcing him to take this step.   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A debt-ridden farmer committed suicide in Yavatmal district on Tuesday and blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his death in the suicide note.

Shankar Bhaurao Chayare (50), a resident of Rajurwadi village in Ghatanji Tehsil of Yavatmal, first attempted to hang himself to death, however, the rope broke and he fell down.

“He then drank poison and killed himself. He also left behind a suicide note in which he has mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is responsible for his death,” according to Devanand Pawar, head of Farmers Committee for Justice.

This is the second such incident in eight months in Yavatmal when a farmer has killed himself and blamed the Prime Minister.

In September last year, after Prakash Mangoankar killed himself the state government had announced some compensation for his family members.

Chayare owned six acres of land and is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son. “I am committing suicide because I have a huge debt burden. The cotton crop in my farm was damaged this year due to the pink worm. Narendra Modi is responsible for my death,” Chayare wrote in his suicide note. Chayare’s family members, and local farmers led by Mr. Pawar, prevented the authorities from conducting a post-mortem.

Mr. Pawar also led local villagers and Chayare’s family members to Ghatanji police station in the evening to register an FIR against Prime Minister Modi.

“When Mr. Mangoankar committed suicide last year, this government announced compensation for his family members. But they are yet to receive any help. This government is hell-bent on destroying the farmers. I have never seen such an insensitive government,” Mr. Pawar told The Hindu.

Kishor Tiwari, the head of Maharashtra government’s Task Force on agriculture distress, expressed grief over the farmer’s suicide and announced that he would visit the grieving family members on April 11.

“The pink worm attack on cotton and improper rates of pulses have increased the farmers’ distress. The government should announce a special package and Mr. Modi should lend them a helping hand,” Mr. Tiwari demanded.