Farmer in Sri Sathya Sai district dies by suicide after crop failure and debts
A 38-year-old farmer, Repana Venkatesh, was found dead at his residence in Gaukanapalli village of Nambulapulakunta mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district on Sunday night. Police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances leading to the incident.
According to family members, Venkatesh had cultivated groundnuts on his 8.5 acres of land, but the crop withered due to inadequate rainfall. The failure left him in acute financial distress, as he was unable to arrange funds to drill another borewell to support irrigation. His mounting debts and repeated agricultural setbacks pushed him into depression, his wife Ramanujulamma told the police.
Venkatesh is survived by his wife, two sons — one of whom is undergoing treatment for mental health issues — and his bedridden father. The family said that the deceased had been under significant stress due to the worsening debt burden and the inability to sustain his family from farming.
The incident highlights the continuing vulnerability of small and marginal farmers in the region, who depend heavily on rainfall for their crops. Limited access to timely credit, inadequate irrigation facilities, and the rising cost of inputs often leave farmers with little buffer against climate variability. While the state government has announced various relief measures and loan waiver schemes in the past, their implementation on the ground remains uneven, particularly in remote mandals like Nambulapulakunta.
Local officials have been informed, and the police have registered a case under relevant sections. The body has been sent for post-mortem. In the wake of the incident, agricultural officers have been advised to visit the family and provide assistance under available government schemes, though the details of any immediate financial aid have not yet been disclosed.
Readers are reminded that suicide is not a solution to distress. Those facing similar circumstances can seek help by dialling the 24-hour helpline number 100, or contact local mental health support services.
