Unable to repay loan, farmer ends life in Maharashtra

A debt-ridden farmer has allegedly committed suicide in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, police said on Tuesday.

Mahadev Raghunath Ranade (48), who was under stress as he was unable to repay his loans, hanged himself from a ceiling hook at his home in Dhapewada Khurd village on Monday evening, an official at Kalmeshwar police station said.

His wife and son were at their farm when he took the extreme step, he said.

A suicide note was recovered from the spot in which Ranade purportedly mentioned that his cotton crop was severely damaged last year due to the pink bollworm (pest) attack, the official said.

"The farmer had taken a loan of around Rs one lakh from his friends and other villagers for sowing cotton this year. But, as he was unable to repay the loan, he took the extreme step," the official said, quoting the suicide note.

Ranade owned four acres of agricultural land in the village, he added.