Distressed farmer couple ends life in Yavatmal

Yavatmal: Crop failure and mounting debts forced a farmer couple from Devnalah village, 35km from Yavatmal, in Kalamb tehsil to commit suicide. The deceased, Mohan Rathod (45) and Sheela (38), had consumed poison on December 19 and were admitted to hospital. Sheela died on Tuesday while her husband passed away on Thursday. The couple had two young children, Santosh and Sandip, who are now dependent on their aged grandmother Gauribai.
Devnalah is a nondescript village comprising a population of mostly farmers and farm labourers. The deceased couple had four acres agricultural land. According to sources, Mohan had taken a loan of Rs40,000 from Bank of Baroda. Since he could not repay the bank, other banks refused to give him crop loan. Sheela had taken Rs60,000 from a savings group but this loan too became overdue.
The Kalamb police have registered a case of accidental death. Revenue officials who visited the couple’s house would file their report with the district collector who would sanction the ex gratia amount to the next of the kin by Monday, office sources said.