Days after narrating drought plight to minister, Maharashtra farmer ends life by jumping in well
Rajendra Sapate, a resident of Dhop taluka in Mohadi, jumped into a well in a paddy field between 8am and 9am, he said.
In Maharashtra's Bhandara district, a farmer named Rajendra Sapate, 55, took his own life on Thursday, just days after speaking about the dire situation he and his fellow farmers faced during a visit from the state's guardian minister, Pankaj Bhoyar. Sapate had expressed his distress over the failure of crops and lack of rain to Bhoyar, highlighting the urgent need for irrigation facilities.
The farmer claimed that despite submitting numerous petitions and complaints, no concrete action had been taken to alleviate the situation. Sapate's video plea, which circulated on social media, detailed his efforts to secure irrigation support, only to see it "gather dust." The minister had assured Sapate that necessary steps would be taken, but it appears those promises have not been fulfilled.
Sapate's entire paddy crop was destroyed due to insufficient rainfall, leaving him and his family in a state of despair. His body was recovered from a well in a paddy field, and his relatives, apparently accepting the death as an accident, have opted not to press charges. An official case has been registered, and authorities are conducting further investigations.
Maharashtra's Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, had recently met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to request special financial aid for the drought-stricken state. According to Fadnavis, 32 districts in Maharashtra are currently grappling with water scarcity, and 80% of the state's 358 talukas have been severely affected by drought.
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