Farmer poisons kin, commits suicide

Hyderabad: A farmer and his father died while his wife and son were hospitalised after they consumed food allegedly laced with pesticide in Siddipet district amid reports he was worried over "fall" in rate of his land in the wake of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

• Balaiah mixed pesticide in chicken curry which he ate along with his father , wife and son
• He resorted to the extreme step as the land prices plummeted following demonetisation of high-value currency
• He was distressed at the development because he thought he may not be able to repay loans
• The ryot and his father dies, while wife and son are hospitalised

Balaiah (45) last night allegedly mixed pesticide in chicken curry and chapatis, which he ate along with his father Galaiah (65), wife Lakshmi and son Prashant, a BTech student, at their residence in Dharmaram village, police said. "After some time all of them complained of ill health and Balaiah died on the spot while Galaiah died on the way to a hospital. Balaiah's wife and son, who were not aware that pesticide was mixed in food, are undergoing treatment at a hospital," said Dubbak police station Circle Inspector Niranjan.

Balaiah, who owned around six acres of agriculture land, wanted to sell it and initially he was told that it would fetch Rs 6-7 lakh an acre, but suddenly in the last couple of days he was told that the rates had drastically come down to Rs 2-3 lakh an acre. The farmer had taken loans and in view of the sudden fall in the market rates of land. He got worried on how to pay back the debts and discussed the same with his father last night before resorting to the extreme step, the police said quoting the complaint lodged by the 16-year-old daughter of the deceased.

As per the complaint, Balaiah's family was facing financial problems. Accordingly, police have registered a case under section 174 CrPC and further investigation is underway. However, some villagers alleged that in view of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 tenders, the market rates of land had come down and there was a talk that no one would pay big amount to purchase the land, the inspector said. He, however, clarified that Balaiah's daughter did not mention so in the complaint. "We will record the statements of Lakshmi and Prashant also," the police officer added.