Yavatmal farmer ends life, names Modi in suicide note

Nagpur: A 50-year-old farmer from Yavatmal District on Tuesday ended his life due to his acute financial situation and named Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in his suicide note, asking them to help the bereaved family.

Nearly 12 hours after the incident, the family refused to take over his body from the Vasantrao Naik Medical College Hospital morgue for the last rites.  The family demanded that either Mr Modi should visit them to pay heed to their problems or the state government should hand over the full compensation before they would accept the body.

Shankar Bhaurrao Chayre (50) who is survived by three daughters and a wife, ended life in Rajuwadi village (Ghantanji taluka) of Yavatmal, which is infamous as the farmer suicide capital.

In his suicide note, he urged the Prime Minister, chief minister, Union minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir, prominent leaders such as Wamanrao Kasawar, Shivajirao Moghe and the chairman of the committee on farmers’ distress, Kishore Tiwari to help his family, Mr Tiwari informed the media.

Chayre took extreme step as he had been experiencing crop failure and non-availability of financial assistance from the state government over the loan waiver. In a crumpled two-page handwritten suicide note recovered by police, Chayre narrated how he had sought help from various officials in the government, including MPs, MLAs, state ministers and others but was ignored.

Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that at a time when farmers are committing suicide and blaming Mr Modi for their extreme act, what moral right does the BJP has to praise themselves in textbooks.  

“The farmer had loans and he lost his cotton crop, but the state could not give him help. The government has only made announcements, but it has not reached out to farmers. Farmers killing themselves and blaming Modi and BJP government, which proves that their policies have failed, said Mr Vikhe-Patil.