Daijiworld Media Network - Chamarajanagara (SP)

Chamarajanagara, May 23: An entire family, frustrated at the cancellation of no-objection certificate issued to it to run poultry farm in its land by the tahsildar, attempted mass suicide in the presence of the tahsildar at the taluk office here on Friday May 22.

All the three members of the family, Basavanna (70), his wife, Sundaramma (60), and their son, Shivashankar (36), consumed poison in the presence of the tahsildar. Within seconds, all of them collapsed to the ground. They were provided with first aid at the government hospital here, before sending to K R Hospital in Mysuru for detailed treatment.

It is learnt that Basavanna had been conducting poultry farming activity in his land since the last two to three years. The gram panchayat and taluk administration had issued him permission for this activity. The owner of an adjacent land and some villagers had complained to the gram panchayat and tahsildar, alleging that the farm emanated foul stench that was difficult to bear with.

Tahsildar, Mahadev, conducted spot inspection. Thereafter, he cancelled the permission earlier given for providing electricity connection to the farm, and asked Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company to sever power supply. After power connection was withdrawn, the poultry birds had begun to perish one by one. Basavanna had been running from pillar to post since the last two to three weeks to stop these deaths and get permission again to get the poultry farm going. Frustrated at the stubbornness of the administration not to issue no-objection letter to him again, he, his wife, and son, consumed poison to express their frustration.