In a distressing incident, a 55-year-old farmer from Lingadahalli in Kadur taluk, Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, tragically ended his life on Monday. Identified as Krishna Naik, the farmer had borrowed Rs 3 lakh to cultivate ragi and jowar crops on his land. Unfortunately, the failure of rains resulted in the destruction of his crops, leaving him unable to repay the loan.
Overwhelmed by the dire circumstances, he took his own life. This marks the fifth suicide by a farmer in the past 40 days in Kadur taluk alone. The Sakharayapatna police have initiated an investigation into the matter. The drought situation has prompted the declaration of Kadur taluk as drought-hit, with authorities setting up a helpline for farmers amid a rising number of suicides in the state. Karnataka has recorded 1,219 farmer suicides in the last 18 months, mainly due to crop losses.
The state government has declared 194 out of 236 taluks as drought-prone, seeking a relief package of Rs 4,860 crores to address the crisis. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has noted a substantial crop loss of about 42 lakh hectares, amounting to Rs 30,000 crore across the state. Currently, a central study team is assessing the situation in 11 districts of Karnataka.