Bengaluru, (DHNS): Unable to cope with mounting debts and crop failure, six debt-stressed farmers in the State committed suicide in the last 24 hours.

A 26-year-old farmer from Kenchanahalli in Kunigal taluk of Tumakuru district ended his life by hanging himself from a tree at his farm on Thursday evening. The deceased Mahesh, son of Ramanna, had borrowed farm loans from Kalpataru Gramin Bank and private finance companies.

In yet another incident reported in Tumakuru district, Renukaaradhya (34), a farmer from Karekurchi under Nitturu hobli of Gubbi taluk, committed suicide by hanging himself from a mango tree near his house at Wednesday night. It is learnt, the victim had taken loans running into Rs 5 lakh from a nationalised bank, PLD bank and private moneylenders.

Two debt-laden farmers from Ballari district ended life on Thursday. A farmer from Mailara in Huvina Hadagali taluk ended life by consuming unknown poison at his house on Thursday. Jagadish had sown maize at his one-acre dry land. The crop had failed owing to poor monsoon. It is said, he was burdened with the personal loan he had taken from the private moneylenders and the liabilities passed on to him by his deceased father.

Veeresh (45), a cotton grower from Bhairagamadini in Siraguppa taluk committed suicide by consuming pesticide at his farm on Thursday. The deceased farmer, it is learnt, had grown cotton on 15-acre dry land. With monsoon playing truant, the crop had withered away.

Two debt-laden farmers committed suicide in Chikkamagalur district on Thursday. Naga Naika (48) from Lakkenahalli village in Kadur taluk ended his life by hanging himself at his farm.

Naika had cultivated potatoes and banana on his 4.38 acres of land. Owing to poor rains, the crop had failed. He was finding it tough to repay the loans running into Rs 6 lakh. Kadur police have registered a case of unnatural death.

In yet another incident reported under Panchanahalli police station limits in Tarikere taluk, a 65-year-old farmer committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his house on Thursday. Muniyappa had taken loans amounting to Rs 4 lakh from various sources. Tarikere Assistant Commissioner Sangappa, DySP Rajan Y Nayak, Tahsildar Bhagya, Kadur CPI C Madhusudan and others visited the houses of the deceased farmers.

Photo credit: DHNS