Stories
First Drought Casualty in Maharashtra: Karmala Farmer Ends Life
- •Santosh Sitaram Lavand, a 50-year-old marginal farmer from Karanje village in Karmala taluka, committed suicide by hanging due to severe drought.
- •He owned just one acre of land, and the failure of crops due to lack of rain plunged him into deep depression and financial distress.
- •A suicide note was found in his pocket detailing the grim drought situation and stating that no one should be held responsible for his death.
- •Karmala police have registered a case of accidental death and are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.
- •Agitated villagers have demanded that the government immediately inspect the drought-hit agriculture and credit financial assistance directly to farmers' accounts.
Key Questions Answered
Santosh Sitaram Lavand, a 50-year-old marginal farmer from Karanje village, took his own life after his crops and water were completely wasted due to severe drought and lack of rain. Struggling with modest financial conditions and depression caused by delayed government assistance and crop failure, he left a note in his pocket explaining his distress.
Given the severity of the drought that ruined the Kharif season and threatened drinking water supplies, villagers are demanding that the government avoid bureaucratic paperwork and instead directly inspect agriculture and deposit financial assistance into farmers' accounts.
The Karmala police registered a case of accidental death following an autopsy at the sub-district hospital, and the funeral was held on the farmer's native farm in Karanje. Constable Ashpak Shaikh is conducting the primary investigation, while Police Constable Bhaurao Shelke is handling the panchanama and verifying the handwriting in the suicide note.
