Kerala farmer commits suicide for not being able to pay bank loans

A farmer, who lost his crops in the last devastating floods, on Monday committed suicide allegedly for being unable to pay the loans he'd taken from different banks. The banks had issued notices warning of legal action if he failed to repay the dues. The 87-years-old farmer, Ouseph, was a banana farmer from Marottichal in Thrissur. He had taken the loans for banana cultivation.

Speaking to the media, his son Joby said that his father was depressed after getting the notices from the banks, and said that the banks were responsible for his father's death.

"My father did not have any other problems. He had taken loans of Rs 1.5 lakh from various banks. They issued legal notices and said they would take action including attaching of property. This drove him to suicide," he said.

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Joby also said that the bank officials had also summoned his father before issuing the notice. He also mentioned that the floods in the state had caused immense loss to the farmer and there had been no help from the state government either. Ouseph ended his life by consuming poison.

According to reports, Ouseph had taken a loan of Rs 75,000 from Bank of India and around Rs 50,000 from Kerala Gramin bank. Ouseph informed them that he was unable to repay the loan as the crops were destroyed in the floods. Replying to the farmer, the bank officials stated that they will initiate action to attach property for default. 

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Another incident

A 39-year-old farmer allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in his house in New village in Dhule taluka. The police said that the deceased identified as Mahesh Prakash Jayswal had taken a loan for sowing the cotton and Bajra crop in his field. Unfortunately, both his crops were damaged due to heavy rainfall. He was facing financial issues due to which he was suffering from depression. 

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(with ANI inputs)