Odisha farmer dies after consuming pesticide

A 42-year-old vegetable farmer who was under huge debt and had reportedly consumed pesticide, died in a hospital here, police said today.

Ranjan Bhuyan, who was undergoing treatment in MKCG Medical College and Hospital here since last Sunday, after consuming pesticides at Kanchana village in Ganjam district, died yesterday, they said.

"He had taken Rs 1.50 lakh loan from different persons in the village. He consumed pesticide after vegetable crop failed over two acres of land," his wife Sabitri claimed.

The death sparked tension in the village with people blocking the Aska-Bhubaneswar road for several hours yesterday demanding compensation for Bhuyan's family members and release of water from Salia Dam to save vegetable crops, police said.
 

Deputy Director of Agriculture (Ganjam) Sudarshan Mohanty said they would conduct an inquiry to ascertain the reason of his death.

He said the matter would be taken up with the district administration for release of water from Salia dam to save vegetable crops in the district.