Farmer driven to suicide after harassment by moneylender over mortgaged land

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A 50-year-old farmer, Prabhakar Lalchand Chavan, ended his life after prolonged harassment over mortgaged land in Chitte Pimpalgaon. Chavan consumed poison on Sunday on his own farm and died the next morning at Government Medical College and Hospital(GMCH).

Police have registered a case against Balaram Baban Rithe and Vishnu Dattu Ghodke at Chikalthana police station. In 2009, Chavan had mortgaged five gunthas of land to Ghodke for a Rs 35,000 loan. Despite repayment attempts, Ghodke kept the land in his own name and later sold it to Rithe. Since then, both families allegedly harassed Chavan and pressured him to surrender possession.

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Firm refusal to give up land

On August 30, around 11 members of the Ghodke and Rithe families stormed Chavan’s house. They allegedly assaulted him, his wife, and son, and threatened them to vacate the land or pay Rs 7 lakh. Chavan firmly refused.

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Family stages protest at police station and hospital

Unable to withstand the mounting pressure, Chavan consumed poison. His death sparked anger in the family, who staged sit-in protests at the hospital and police station, demanding action before allowing the post-mortem. The FIR was lodged later that night.

(With photo)