After setting crops on fire, Odisha farmer commits suicide

Bhubaneswar, Nov 1 (IANS) After setting fire to his pest-affected paddy fields on Tuesday, a frustrated farmer allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison in Odisha's Bargarh district on Wednesday, police sources said.

Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout directed the district administration to inquire into the matter and submit a detailed report within 48 hours.

Villagers spotted Brunda Sahoo lying in his fields in an unconscious state in the morning and rushed him to district hospital where he died.

Sahu, along with some farmers, had set his standing crops, cultivated on a half acre land, on fire on Tuesday.

They complained that the pesticide supplied to them by the government's Cooperation Department was of inferior quality and failed to save their crop from pest attack.

Rout said: "After getting the report of farmer's death and pest attack, I have directed the District Collector to submit a report. Besides, a three-member technical team has been constituted to inquire into the matter."

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