DEBTRIDDEN POTATO GROWER ENDS LIFE IN JALANDHAR

JALANDHAR: A debt-ridden potato grower allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a column beam at his field in Mussapur village in the district on Wednesday evening.

The deceased was identified as Khushwant Singh, 48, who was reportedly under a debt of Rs 20 lakh.

Police said Khushwant had sown potato crop at his 2-acre land. He had been under depression as he had failed to get good price for his crop in the market.

They said no suicide note was recovered from the spot and a case has been registered under Section 174 of the CrPC on the basis of his family’s statement.

The deceased is survived by his wife Jasveer Kaur, 45, and two children Charanjeet Singh, 14, and Simarpreet Kaur, 9.

Recently, the Jalandhar Potato Growers’ Association (JPGA) had threatened to throw their crop in front of banks if the government does not waive their loans taken against the crops.

The farmers complained that they are suffering from a huge loss because of demonetisation. “Due to demonetisation, we suffered a loss in two consecutive crops of potato. There are no buyers of potatoes in any state,” said Jaswinder Singh Sangha, general secretary of the association.

KHUSHWANT SINGH, 48, WAS REPORTEDLY UNDER A DEBT OF ₹20 LAKH