Two-farmers commit suicide after they were caught in the debt trap

No matter how hard the government and the administration try, the unending trial of the farmers that force them to take this extreme step does not seem to end. Once again, a farmer, from Kalghatagi (Dharwad) and the other from Chinnamulgund (Haveri), killed themselves after they were caught in the debt trap.

Both Ningappa Gudihal (22) of Tavargeri village of Kalghatagi and Ramappa Lamani (55) of Chinnamulagund tanda, Haveri, died in a similar fashion. They consumed poison on Saturday evening in their farmland and died at the hospital on Sunday.

Ningappa had grown sugarcane, maize and paddy on four acres of land.

He borrowed Rs 3.5 lakh from various sources -Rs 1 lakh from the Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank, Rs 50,000 from a cooperative bank and over Rs 1 lakh from private moneylenders. “All crops had withered due to inadequate rain.

In Ramappa’s case, the farmer had pinned all his hopes on his cabbage and maize crops. He had taken a loan of Rs 1 lakh from Syndicate Bank, Rs 1 lakh from Grameena Bank and around Rs 50,000 from moneylenders. He suffered a huge loss. He was forced to sell his produce at Rs 1 per kg. His maize crop, too, failed due to insufficient rain.

Ramappa had been distraught for a week and was it finding it difficult to face bankers and moneylenders and hence took the extreme step.