TUTICORIN: Distressed over the damage caused to his crops, a 58-year-old farmer of Pillayarnatham village near Kovilpatti in Tuticorin district ended his life by hanging from a tree near his piece of land on Saturday.
A note to the farmer’s granddaughter was spotted on a wall, in the same place. It was written with clay in Tamil. It read: “Forgive me Mithra."
The dead farmer -- Narayasamy -- lived with his wife Mahalakshmi, daughter Abirami and daughter Mithra. After quitting his job in a mill in Rajapalayam town in Virudhunagar district, a few years ago, he started farming on his five acre land in Pillayarnatham. After a bountiful harvest last year, he raised maize and urad bean this year.
Due to inadequate rain, army worms attacked his maize crops and his urad beans were attacked by yellow wilt.
Following this, he was depressed for the last few days.
On Saturday morning he informed his family that he will return after visiting his crops.
However, he did not return and was found hanging from a tree close to his land.
Nalattinputhur police recovered the body and sent it to Kovilpatti government hospital for a post-mortem