Farmer dies by suicide after failing to repay Rs 1.5 lakh loan in Karnataka's Belagavi
Belagavi (Karnataka), May 21: A 55-year-old farmer died by suicide after allegedly being harassed by a woman moneylender over repayment of Rs 1.50 lakh loan amount taken from her, police said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred in Islampura village of Hukkeri taluk in Belagavi district, they said.
According to police, the farmer - Raju Khotagi- allegedly consumed poison on Sunday and was rushed to a hospital where he was admitted. Unfortunately, he died a day later.
Preliminary enquiry has suggested that the farmer had taken Rs 1.50 lakh loan from 60-year-old Siddavva Bayyanavara of the same village some six months ago after he allegedly suffered losses owing to severe drought. On May 18, the woman had summoned Raju and his family to her house. She asked them to pay back the loan amount immediately, a senior police officer said.
Apparently, the accused woman had taken the loan money from someone else and was allegedly putting pressure on Raju to return the amount. The farmer, however, sought some more time to repay the amount. He tried to arrange the money but when he failed to do so, he was allegedly insulted by the lender, he said.
On Sunday morning, Raju attempted to end his life by consuming poison in his house. However, he was rushed to a local hospital immediately where he was treated. He died on Monday afternoon, the officer said.
The deceased's wife alleged that she and her son were allegedly "confined" in the accused woman's house, police said, adding these are only allegations and need to be verified.
"Based on the complaint by victim's family, we have registered a case under sections of Prevention of Atrocities Act and 306 (Abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code against the accused woman at Yamakanmardi police station. We are verifying the allegations and have taken up the case. Further investigation is underway," a senior police officer said.
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Why remove Mahatma Gandhi's name, asks Priyanka on move to replace MGNREGA
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday slammed the government over its move to change the name of MGNREGA, asking what is the government's intention behind removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi who is the tallest leader not just in India but in the world.
A bill to repeal the MGNREGA and bring a new law for rural employment -- Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025 -- is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha. According to a copy of the bill, it seeks to introduce the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, in Parliament and repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005.
Asked about the government's move, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Whenever the name of a scheme is changed there are so many changes that have to be made in offices, stationery... for which money is spent. So, what is the benefit, why it is being done?"
"Why is Mahatma Gandhi's name being removed. Mahatma Gandhi is considered the tallest leader not just in the country but in the world, so removing his name, I really don't understand what is the objective? What is their intention?" she told reporters in Parliament House complex.
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"Even when we are debating it is on other issues not the real issues of the people. Time is being wasted, money is being wasted, they are disrupting themselves," Priyanka Gandhi added.
The bill aims at establishing a "rural development framework aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047", by providing a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work.
The bill has been listed in the Lok Sabha in the supplementary list of business issued on Monday.
Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in the statement of purpose of the Bill, said MGNREGA has provided guaranteed wage-employment to rural households over the past 20 years.
However, "further strengthening has become necessary in view of the significant socio-economic transformation witnessed in the rural landscape driven by widespread coverage of the social security interventions and saturation-oriented implementation of major government schemes", he said.
#WATCH | दिल्ली: कांग्रेस सांसद प्रियंका गांधी वाड्रा ने MGNREGA का नाम बदले जाने पर कहा, "...वे महात्मा गांधी का नाम क्यों हटा रहे हैं? वे इस देश के, इतिहास के और दुनिया के सबसे बड़े नेता माने जाते हैं। मुझे समझ नहीं आ रहा इसके पीछे इनकी(सरकार की) मंशा क्या है? सदन चल नहीं रहा।… pic.twitter.com/gp5wNLllDu
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