He was a simple man of 32, a farmer from Uppaladoddi village in Sindhanur taluk of Raichur district who chose to end his life the day he decided to go ahead and touch a live electric wire near his house.
The reason for the extreme step? Mallappa Teggihala, was overwhelmed by his inability to repay substantial loans.
Mallappa had accrued debts amounting to several lakhs of rupees from both banks and private moneylenders, platforms that showed no empathy to the man of the soil, his situation and his needs.
That didn’t lead the young soul to give up. He put in all his efforts, till he finally found himself unable to meet the repayment demands, leading to severe financial and emotional strain. The mounting pressure ultimately drove him to take the drastic step of ending his life.
Upon learning about the incident, local authorities promptly registered a case at the Turavihal police station. Investigations are underway to understand the full circumstances surrounding Mallappa’s death and the extent of his financial burdens.
This incident sheds light on the broader issue of farmer indebtedness and the extreme measures some are forced to consider when they see no viable way out of their financial predicaments.
Isn’t this a harsh society that we live in?
It underscores the urgent need for more robust support systems for farmers, including better access to financial management resources and mental health services.
The community mourns the loss of Mallappa Teggihala, and his death serves as a somber reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by farmers across the region.
PS: Money that is lent to a farmer is not to be expected back. Consider it a gift for the sacrifices they make for us, for the food that we eat that is the result of the choices that they make, the choice to brave the heat of the farms over a stable job as a factory employee or another laborer.
Let’s learn to be kind, and understand that money given to people like these is not to be considered as loan, to be returned, but money given back to them which is rightfully theirs, as a reward for all the sweat they pour out for us without even so much as a weekend while the rest of us go about lounging about in malls and theater seats, yet taking home double the money that goes to them, money that belongs to them.
Farmers are not to even know that there is something in this world known as debts. While their lives may not be what we call sweet, we must not see that as a reason to make it short.
Let them spend the money they earn for their daily bread, which is all they can get. Remember that these are a class of people with absolutely no money to spend on their little wishes and dreams.
Let’s empathetic to the farmers of our country and their needs, and then see how their blessings lead our country to the prosperity that it needs.