Two onion-growers kill self in Nashik

Two onion farmers from Maharashtra's Nashik district have allegedly committed suicide in the last two days, apparently due to indebtedness and low rates commanded by the bulb in markets, police said Sunday.

The deceased are identified as Tatyabhau Khairnar (44) and Manoj Dhondage (33) who hailed from Baglan taluka in the north Maharashtra district.

Farmers in Nashik district, which accounts for 50 per cent of onion production in India, have claimed that they are unable to fetch good returns for their produce due to glut in production.

A Baglan taluka police official Sunday said Khairnar allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in his onion shed in Bhadane village Friday.

"No suicide note was found on his body," he said.

The official said the relatives pf the deceased had claimed that he was unable to sell his 500 quintals of onions stored in the farm due to low rates.

"His family also maintained that Khairnar had an outstanding bank loan to the tune of Rs 11 lakh," he said,