“Malhari was under pressure because of crop failure… and the mounting debts.. To add to his woes, his truck was also stolen,” said a family member. (Representational Image) “Malhari was under pressure because of crop failure… and the mounting debts.. To add to his woes, his truck was also stolen,” said a family member. (Representational Image)

A 35-year-old farmer from Ahmednagar district, Malhari Batule, committed suicide by consuming poison at his residence late Thursday, only a few hours after his son, Prashant, a Class III student of a Zilla Parishad school, recited a self-composed poem urging farmers not to end their lives.

The incident took place in Bharajwadi village of Pathardi taluka in Ahmednagar district.

Officers from Pathardi police station said Malhari probably ended his life because of the pressure of mounting debts.

“Malhari was under pressure because of crop failure… and the mounting debts.. To add to his woes, his truck was also stolen,” said a family member.

Earlier in the day, Prashant had taken part in a poetry-reciting competition on the topic ‘Farmers should not commit suicide’, organised at the school. As he recited the poem, it drew praise from the crowd. But when he went home after school, he found that his father had consumed poison. Malhari was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead.

Lahoo Borate, a teacher at Prashant’s school, said the boy’s father was not present when he participated in the event and recited the poem around 5.15 pm on Thursday. “I have asked his relatives… his father was probably not aware of the poem read by his son,” the teacher said.

Borate said Prashant is an exceptional student.

“He wrote the poem on his own. I am confident about that…I don’t know whether his father read the poem or Prashant recited it before the family earlier…,” he said.

A resident of the same village said Malhari was distressed after he heard about his son reading out the poem on farmers’ plight.

NCP MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed, Rohit Pawar, said: “Even if a single farmer commits suicide, it is a matter of concern for the government. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government is the government of the people and farmers. If the farmers have a problem, they should approach the elected representatives or the collectorate.”

State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said the state government will do whatever it could to help the family of the farmer. “It is shocking to hear about the suicide of the farmer… the state government will do everything possible to help the family,” he added.

The minister said he has asked officials of the Home department to investigate the case and submit a report to him. “After getting information about the case, we will see what kind of help can be extended to the family,” he added.

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