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Journalism of Courage
Vidarbha is once again witnessing a spate of farmer suicides. Five farmers have ended their lives for losses incurred in agriculture and debt in the past week. The latest one occurred on Friday at Arvi in Wardha where a farmer ended his life by consuming poison in the office of a sub-divisional officer.
Vinayak Khushalrao Dhule, 70, whose land was acquired for an irrigation project, took the extreme step after waiting 16 years for compensation. Dhule was evicted from his native Talegaon village. The rehabilitation work for the project, initiated in 1976, started in 1987. Dhule was trying to get the dues against his 50 acres. On Friday, Dhule went to SDO’s office and demanded to know of the land he was to get. He reportedly got into an argument with the official, who then left to visit some agitating project-affected persons.
Dhule followed him there and told the agitationists not to stop till they got justice. He then followed the SDO, J.B. Sangitrao, to his office and tried to get him to commit to his demands. Harangued by Dhule, Sangitrao reportedly told him to ‘‘do whatever he wants’’. Dhule consumed poison on the spot. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was announced brought dead.
The incident led to BJP workers staging a dharna and demanding that a case be filed against Sangitrao. Wardha collector S. Chokkalingam explained to the crowd that the demand was unacceptable as the SDO was not the officer concerned. He assured them that he would suspend the official who was responsible for the ‘‘clerical mistake’’ in the records which had caused the delay. He also assured a probe.
