Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Oct 9: A farmer, Rama Kulal, from Kelasunka, Amasebail village in the taluk and residing in Paduvalthoor, Kavarady, committed suicide by consuming poison on Wednesday October 7. Like many other farmers who take the extreme step, he too was overburdened with thoughts about his mounting debt, and of losses in farm produce made complex by losses inflicted by wild animals.

Rama Kulal (45) is the second farmer in taluk to have committed suicide in the recent days.

Elder son of Basava Kulal (80), Rama followed in the path of his father and chose agriculture as his profession. He was working in the fields alongside his younger brother Subba Kulal, growing paddy and areca nut. He had borrowed loans from cooperative bank, land development bank, and from local creditors, it is said. When free, he also worked as coolie.

As the losses in agriculture went on increasing, and liability too kept mounting, he also pledged the 'Karimani' of his wife to raise loan to tide over crisis. Although he kept repeating his worries over inability to clear loans, and was frustrated over attack of crops by wild animals, family members never expected him to take away his own life. Perhaps, overwhelmed by the size of the loans raised on the agricultural property which still stands in the name of his father, Rama Kulal consumed poison at the place of his in-laws at Kavarady.

He was admitted into the government hospital at Ajjarkad Udupi in serious condition. As he did not show any signs of improvement, he was taken to Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru. After oscillating between life and death for three days, Kulal breathed his last on Wednesday evening, delivering a deadly blow to his impoverished family.

Rama Kulal is survived by wife, Sumati Kulal, and children, Vijaya and Deepa. His parents, Basava Kulal and Laxmi Kulal, too are grieving. It is gathered that immediately after coming to know that Rama had died, several persons who claim to have lent money to him, have been making a beeline to his house, seeking to recover their loans.

Sub-divisional officer here, Charulata Somal, tahsildar, Gayatri N Nayak, and village accountant, Sunil Kumar, visited the bereaved family. They have sent a report on the incident and details of the loans raised by the deceased to the government.

BJP Karnataka state Raita Morcha vice president, Deepak Kumar Shetty, visited the family on Thursday evening and pledged solidarity. Speaking to media persons during his visit, Shetty noted that the incidents of farmer suicides have been on an increase in the district, and demanded the state government, district in-charge minister, and people's representatives, to work together and announce compensation to the bereaved family without delay. He said that there is imperative need to take immediate action to stop recurrence of farmer suicides, duly urging the concerned to waive farm loans including interest.

Kavarady gram panchayat members, Prakashchandra Shetty and Shekhar Kulal accompanied Shetty during his visit.