Mukesh, A 24-year-old farmer has committed suicide by consuming Sulphus tablets.
A 24-year-old farmer has committed suicide by consuming poison in Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's Budhni Constituency, as he felt extremely burdened because he was unable to pay a loan of around four lakh. This is the ninth suicide in the last seven days in a state shaken by violent protests by farmers, who want better prices for their crops and loan waivers.
Upon consumption of Sulphas tablets, Mukesh who lives in Budhni's Lachour village, called his uncle and told him that he had ingested poison, after which he was rushed to Bhopal's Hamidia Hospital and declared dead.
Sulphas tablets are suspected to contain aluminium phosphide, an agricultural fumigant.
Shivkumar Sharma alias Kakkaji, President of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh along with other farmers tried to block the Hoshnagabad-Bhopal highway in protest but they were arrested by Hitesh Chaudhary, Additional SP under Article 151.
Article 151 of the Indian Penal Code states, "whoever knowingly joins or continues in any assembly of five or more persons likely to cause a disturbance of the public peace, after such assembly has been lawfully commanded to disperse, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both."
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who described himself as a farmer, said he understands the pain of farmers but he is yet to make any promises of loan waiver.
On Tuesday, In Hoshangabad's Seoni Malwa, 68-year-old Makhan Lal Digolia hanged himself from a tree.
Madhya Pradesh has been under the spotlight as it has been rocked by plunging crop prices. Protests by farmers started since the beginning of this month and on June 6, six farmers died when the police opened fire to control crowds at a protest in Mandsaur.
Since June 6, the police had detained a number of leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia from visiting Mandsaur.
So far, the government has failed to contain the crisis, despite assurances of relief and support from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The police has registered 46 FIRs over the farmer unrest in Mandsaur district. But not a single case has been lodged against the police. The state has ordered an investigation into the firing by retired High Court judge JK Jain.
Four states have waived loans for farmers - neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh