Sarpanches demand Rs. 1 crore ex-gratia for Shankaraiah who died by suicide over unpaid bills

Former Sarpanch Shankaraiah had taken up several development works and accordingly accrued Rs. 10 lakh debts.

Hyderabad: Holding the State government responsible for the suicide of former Sarpanch Dasari Shankaraiah, the State Sarpanches Sangham demanded that his family should be paid Rs.1 crore as an ex-gratia.

The former Sarpanches have been appealing the State government to clear their pending bills. Jagtial’s Rajupally village former Sarpanch Shankaraiah had taken up several development works and accordingly accrued Rs. 10 lakh debts, the State Sarpanches Sangham president CLN Reddy said.

---

He ran from pillar to post and met senior officials and Ministers and appealed for the clearance of the pending bills. Yet, his pleas went unheeded. Unable to bear the stress, he consumed pesticide and breathed his last while undergoing treatment at a hospital, the State Sarpanches Sangham chief said.

Many former Sarpanches were under severe financial stress and facing humiliation from private lenders. The government should at least consider clearing the pending bills and bail out the former Sarpanches from financial crisis, he added, demanding that Shankaraiah’s family should be offered Rs.1 crore ex-gratia.