Another farmer ends life within a week in Erode dist

Muthusamy’s case has sent shock waves among the farmers of the region as the Friday incident has taken place in less than a week after the suicide of P Ramalingam (56), a farmer from Karattupalayam village, over the same reason. Muthusamy owned totally 40 cents of farmland. He had pledged his house and the fields and had taken 2.35 acres of two other farmers on lease. 

About three months ago, he planted turmeric in the leased lands. Around the same time on Aug 12, the government had also ordered release of water in Kalingarayan canal. Farmers belonging to Kalingarayan Pasana Sabai said that the GO stated that water would be released till Dec 28. But the release was abruptly stopped without any intimation on Sept 9.  

Meanwhile, tumeric raised by Muthusamy started withering and he ended his life. After preliminary inquiry the police said that on seeing the withering crops, Muthusamy was depressed for the few days and was further worried over the repayment of the loan he had taken to raise turmeric. Fearing that his crops, house and land could not be saved, Muthusamy went to the 20 cents land close to his house on Friday and consumed pesticide. His son Ganesan who went there in the afternoon saw him dead and informed other farmers, who rushed to the spot. They refused to allow the police to take the body for autopsy. Kalingarayan Pasana Sabai president V.M. Velayutham said that they would allow the postmortem only after the district administration announced a date for releasing water in the canal. 

“We have staged demonstrations seeking water in the canal and two farmers have even committed suicide. We don’t want any other farmer take this extreme without water for their crops,” he added. The body was taken from his field to house where talks were held and it was agreed that a 10-member delegation of farmers would be allowed to meet the Collector and present their demands on Saturday morning. Following the agreement, farmers allowed Muthusamy’s body to be taken for post-mortem.