Farmer dies 3 days after suicide bid outside Mantralaya

MUMBAI: A shortfall of Rs 7,200 in compensation payable by the state government to drought-hit farmers drove Madhav Kadam to the brink. The 27-year-old farmer from Nanded died in a south Mumbai hospital early on Wednesday, three days after he consumed an insecticide in protest outside Mantralaya. His family said Madhav hadn’t even told them of his impulsive trip to Mumbai.
Madhav’s story gives a glimpse into the lives of scores of drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra. Madhav and his brother Ashok grew soyabean on their three-hectare plot at Janapuri village, in Nanded’s Loha taluka. Their father passed away 10 years ago and the brothers were since looking after their aged mother. Madhav tied the knot in 2009 and has a three-year-old daughter and one-year-old son. The family was in dire financial straits after their crops failed.
“The state declared a compensation of Rs 6,800 per hectare for farmers whose crops had failed. Madhav received only Rs 4,400 per hectare. He visited the collector’s office to find out why he had received Rs 2,400 less per hectare, but did not get a satisfactory answer. At 10am on Wednesday, he reached Mantralaya to question the authorities concerned but was probably not allowed entry,” a senior police official said.
An angry Madhav then pulled out a bottle of insecticide he had brought along and drank it outside the new administrative building gate. Security personnel rushed towards him and took him to GT Hospital, where he underwent a stomach wash. “We informed Madhav’s family in Nanded. But they are very poor and couldn’t travel to the city in large numbers. His brother-in-law Maruti Puyad arrived on Friday night. Around 3.45am on Saturday, Madhav was pronounced dead by doctors,” the official said. Marine Drive police recorded a case of accidental death.
“We are in shock. Madhav left home on Wednesday saying he would withdraw the compensation money from a bank in Nanded. He did not tell us that he planned to come to Mumbai,” said Maruti.
Meanwhile the Opposition termed it an unfortunate incident and blamed the state government, demanding waiver of crop loans for all farmers. “The state government should take note of the incident. Waiving crop loans of farmers is the only solution. We can think of other options later but the government should have given farmers immediate relief from loans at least,” said Sharad Ranpise, Congress group leader in the legislative council.