HYDERABAD: Hit by mounting debt and crop loss, a farmer and three members of his family killed themselves in Telangana’s Mancherial district late on Wednesday.
In a suicide pact, J Ramesh (50), a cotton farmer from Malkapalli village in Kasipet mandal, his wife Padma (45), newly married daughter Soumya (19) and son Akshay (17), a student, killed themselves.
At least 100 farmers have killed themselves in Telangana over the past year, many due to crop loss and debts, according farmers’ outfits.
On Thursday morning, a relative grew suspicious as she did not see the family outside the house. She forced open the main door and found the couple hanging from the ceiling rods. Soumya and Akshay’s lifeless bodies were lying dead in the bed.
“Akshay and Ramesh ended their lives in one room, while Padma and Soumya hanged themselves in the adjacent room. After the children committed suicide, the couple pulled their bodies down and then ended their lives,” Devapur sub-inspector Vijayender said.
Preliminary investigations by Kasipet police revealed that as a tenant farmer Ramesh cultivated cotton and tomatoes in 30 acres in Malkapalli village.
“In the suicide note, he said he had borrowed money for farming expenses and also for his daughter’s marriage performed last year. But he incurred losses in cotton farming and was unable to clear the debt of Rs 16 lakh,” Vijayender said.
A suicide note purportedly written by Ramesh and signed by all four members was found in the house. “The note was written in Telugu and in it Ramesh asked his brothers to forgive him and his wife,” the SI said.
“Even if I had Rs 10 lakh or even Rs 7-8 lakh, four lives would have been saved. I do not have a single acre. I made Rs 3 lakh by selling cotton and had to use it for clearing debts. I told everyone that money will be repaid by March 25, but I am unable to do it,” the note said, adding, “If I alone end my life, those who gave money will ask my family members to return it. They said they can't live without me and we decided to end our lives.”
Their bodies were shifted to Mancherial government hospital for post-mortem examination and a case was registered under section 174 of CrPC.