Dejected over crop loss due to flooding, elderly farmer ends life by touching live wire

Beed, Sep 24 (PTI) Disappointed over loss of standing crop due to flooding, a 62-year-old farmer allegedly ended his life by coming in contact with a live wire in Beed district of Maharashtra, police said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in Borgaon Budruk village of Kaij tehsil on Tuesday.

The deceased, identified as Ramesh Dnyanoba Gavane, owned around eight acres of fertile farmland on the banks of the Manjara river, they said.

Recent heavy rains sent the Manjara river in spate, which led to flooding at Gavane's farm and completely destroyed the standing soybean crop. It also led to washing away of the fertile soil, the police said.

Distraught over the loss, Gavane reportedly rushed to the DP and came in contact with a live electric wire. He collapsed on the ground, according to them.

He was immediately taken to the Kaij sub-district hospital and later referred to the Swami Ramanand Teerth Rural Government Medical College and Hospital in Ambejogai. However, doctors declared him dead.

His funeral was performed at his native village on Tuesday evening.

The Kaij police registered a case of accidental death.

Unprecedented rains in the arid Marathwada, which comprises eight districts, over the past four days have claimed at least eight lives, marooned villages, damaged houses and flattened crops on more than 30,000 hectares, officials had said on Tuesday. PTI COR NP