A farmer and his elderly mother have allegedly committed suicide by consuming a poisonous substance in the presence of police officials in Punjab’s Barnala district on Tuesday. 32-year-old farmer Baljeet Singh and his 60-year-old mother Balveer Kaur ended their lives due to an unpaid loan of Rs. 300,000 (AUD 6000).
According to police, Baljeet Singh had taken the loan from a commission agent by mortgaging his two acres land. As the loan remained unpaid, the commission agent took the matter to the court.
Armed with a court order, the commission agent arrived to evict Baljeet from his land on Tuesday.Baljeet first tried to resist the eviction process in the presence of police and revenue officials and police.
But finding himself helpless, he climbed on the roof of his house and consumed a poisonous substance even as members of farmers' organisations and the police tried to persuade him.
Soon after this, Baljeet's mother Balveer Kaur also consumed poison. Both were rushed to a local hospital. They were later referred to a hospital in nearby Ludhiana. But they died on the way.
A police official told news agency ANI that court had passed the orders for seizing their land. Revenue officials and police officials had gone to the spot after the court orders.
Farmers' organisations have demanded action against the commission agent for abetting the suicides.
According to a statement by the Indian government in parliament on Tuesday, 166 farmers have committed suicides in the country this year. Once considered the vanguard for food security in India, the number of farmers killing themselves in Punjab is only second to Maharashtra in the country.
Once considered the vanguard of food security in India, the number of farmers killing themselves in Punjab is only second to Maharashtra in the country.
