Two farmers commit suicide in State

Two farmers, unable to repay debts, commit suicide in separate incidents on Saturday.

Venkate Gowda, 65, a resident of Hosakote village in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, committed suicide by consuming insecticide at his field in the morning. The villagers, who saw him writhing in pain, rushed him to the district hospital. However, the treatment failed and Gowda was declared dead in the afternoon.

The farmer grew sugar cane, paddy and ragi on his three-acre field.

He had availed a loan of more than Rs one lakh from State Bank of Mysore. In addition to this, he had borrowed Rs two lakh from private moneylenders.

In Sira

Eeranna, 45, committed suicide by consuming insecticide at his farm at M Dasarahalli village of Sira taluk.

He died while being taken to the hospital. The number of suicides by farmers has risen to 12, following the drought in the taluk.

Disappointed after repeated crop failure, Eeranna set up a petty shop, availing a loan of Rs 15,000 from Canara Bank. Losses in business led him to try his hand at manure business.

He had availed loans from private moneylenders also.