Debt-ridden Dalit ryot in Telangana jumps into fire, dies

HYDERABAD: Debts drove a Dalit farmer of Bantwaram mandal in Vikarabad district to end his life by jumping into a stack of burning cotton shrubs. The farmer, identified as Kotapu Srinivas (40), jumped into the fire on Wednesday morning. He died while undergoing treatment late on Wednesday, the police said.

Cotton farmer was behaving abnormally

SI S Praveen Reddy of the Bantwaram police station said a case has been registered following a complaint by the victim’s brother Kotapu Devaiah and an investigation has been taken up.Police said that Srinivas had cultivated cotton on his land in Bantwaram village. But he was burdened by debts, due to which he seemed upset for the past five days. He was also behaving abnormally.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday morning, he went to the field, gathered the dry cotton shrubs and set them on fire. Minutes later, he jumped into the fire. Farmers from the neighbouring fields pulled him out and rushed him to the Government hospital at Tandur. He was later shifted to Osmania Hospital for better treatment. But he died while undergoing treatment.