Farmer attempts suicide over debts, money lender shoots video

A 29-year-old farmer in Beed district of Maharashtra tried to end his life by consuming poison in front of a private money lender in connection with a dispute over debts, police said Thursday.

According to police, when the farmer consumed poison, the money lender was busy shooting the video of his suicide bid.

The farmer, Sudam Phapala, tried to kill himself at his farm in Belore village in Majalgaon on June 29, an official said, adding that he is now out of danger and undergoing treatment at a government hospital.

The video of the farmer's suicide attempt has gone viral on social media.

"Sudam's uncle had taken a loan of Rs 1.90 lakh from two private money lenders in 2011 for his daughter's marriage, following which they took possession of their farmland," a senior police official of Dindrud Police Station said.

Sudam, in his statement recorded before tehsildar on Wednesday, alleged that the money lenders forced him to consume poison, he added.

"In his statement, the victim claimed that his family had repaid Rs 2.5 lakh to the money lenders in 2012 and hence wanted their farmland back," he said.

On June 29, one of the money lenders came to the victim demanding money. Sudam then brought a bottle of poison and consumed it in front of them, the official said.

Soon after the incident, Sudam was rushed to a state- run hospital by the police. He is now out of danger and undergoing treatment there, police said.

"We are waiting for the report from tehsildar. If the report says that the private money lender was responsible for the farmer to take the extreme step, then we will register an offence under relevant sections against him," the police official said.