Mandya (Karnataka)

Afarmer couple allegedly died by suicide due to mounting debt in Mandya district, police said on Friday. The deceased were identified as Puttaswamy (58) and his wife Nagamma (55), who hanged themselves from a tree at Hatna Bevukallu village in Mandya taluk on Thursday, reportedly due to crop losses and mounting debt.

According to police, the couple owned five acres of agricultural land and had taken a loan of about Rs 10 lakh from a bank for farming. Their crops had withered due to inadequate rainfall, and they were unable to repay the loan, which is suspected to have driven them to take the extreme step, police officials said.

Personnel from Shivalli police station visited the spot, and further investigation is underway. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters here, Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Friday termed the incident “deeply tragic and heartbreaking.”

He urged the state government to take immediate steps to address the issue of farmers. Vijayendra said the suicide of Puttaswamy and Nagamma reflects the “severe distress” being faced by farmers in the state.

“Although they cultivated tomatoes and other vegetables on about five acres of land, they reportedly suffered continuous crop losses and accumulated debts of around Rs 10-15 lakh. Unable even to repay the interest on the loans, they were driven to take the extreme step,” he said, expressing sorrow.

He appealed to farmers not to lose courage or resort to suicide, regardless of the hardship they face and urged them to remain hopeful that solutions to their problems can be found.

Vijayendra said that instead of advising farmers not to sow or cultivate crops, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar should focus on restoring confidence among distressed farmers. He added that the government must respond to the problems faced by farmers across the state, including those in the Cauvery basin.

Vijayendra said BJP teams were touring different parts of Karnataka to assess the condition of farmers. With deficient rainfall causing severe hardship, he urged the government to take immediate remedial measures. He demanded that taluks affected by inadequate rainfall be declared drought-hit without delay. He also called for a waiver of loans taken by distressed farmers and the announcement of a comprehensive relief package.

Vijayendra said that if the government fails to respond promptly to the agrarian crisis, it would be as good as being “dead” for the farming community. He urged the CM to tour the state, directly interact with farmers, andimplement relief measures.