Farmer's son accepts body after ministers' assurances

Mumbai: A day after Dharma Patil (84), a farmer from Dhule died at JJ Hospital after consuming poison on January 22 at Mantralaya, his family refused to accept his body till 2.30 pm.

Patil’s son, Narendra, protested outside gate number eight of JJ Hospital, claiming that the compensation given to them by the government for five-acre land in 2012 was less than what his neighbours got.

The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited, in 2012, had acquired Patil’s five-acre farmland in 2012. The deceased wanted to meet ministers and raise the issue for the same. Ministers Jaykumar Rawal and Girish Mahajan rushed to the hospital and spoke to Narendra and assured the family of action against the government officers who were unfair to Patil.

The family took Patil’s body and left for Dhule around 3.30 pm. Patil is a native of Sindhkheda in Dhule and came to Mantralaya with his son Narendra to meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, minister of state (MoS) for Energy Chandrashekar Bawankule, and MoS for Agriculture Pandurang Fundkar, and member of Parliament Jaykumar Rawal from his constituency.

The police registered an accidental death report in the case. Senior police inspector Vilas Gangawane of Marine Lines police station said that he did not know when Patil had consumed the poison. A forensic source at the JJ Hospital said, “The cause of death can not be disclosed as we have sent the samples for chemical analysis to Kalina laboratory. Swabs have been sent to identify the poison.”

According to Narendra, his father had written several letters to ministers and collector over the land reimbursement issues in the last few months. However, no one heeded to his plea. “My father consumed poison on January 22. He complained of giddiness. Initially, I thought it was dehydration as we had not eaten anything or had drop of water since morning,” Narendra said. A constable offered them tea and biscuits but seeing Patil’s poor health condition, he was rushed to St. George hospital. “That’s where my father confessed that he had consumed poison,” Narendra said.

Patil was shifted to JJ Hospital where the doctors conducted haemodialysis, as the poison had caused acute kidney disorder and inflammation of the lungs. He was kept Intensive Care Unit.

Mr Rawal and Mr Mahajan said that they would request the CM for the speedy inquiry and give appropriate compensation to Patil’s family.

Mr Rawal said that it was the mistake of officers and previous government. “We have taken all points into consideration and now we have been able to give him proper justice,” he said.