Two Punjab farmers end lives

Two debt-ridden farmers from Punjab’s Bathinda district ended their lives last week. Bharatiya Kisan Union claimed both the suicides were linked to loss of wheat yield. Jaspal Singh (39) from Miserkhana village committed suicide by jumping before a running train. His family owned 12 acres of land and had taken Rs 900,000 loan. He had used the entire amount on farming operations, but low yield added to his problems. Gurdeep Singh (28) of Mansa Khurd village hanged himself in the motor room in the fields. His family owned two acres of land and had taken 6 acres on lease. The family has a debt Rs 325,000. Bathinda district BKU general secretary said both the farmers ended their lives after getting lower than expected wheat yield.