Suryapet farmer attempts suicide over paddy procurement irregularities

A farmer in Bopparam village of Suryapet district allegedly attempted suicide after accusing officials at a paddy procurement centre of embezzling 25 quintals of his produce through deductions.

Nalgonda: Tension gripped Bopparam village in Suryapet district after a farmer allegedly attempted suicide over irregularities at a paddy procurement centre. The farmer accused officials of embezzling 25 quintals of paddy in the name of deductions.

The farmer Bolla Shekhar Reddy poured petrol on paddy sacks and tried to set them on fire. He later tried to douse himself with petrol, but local farmers and villagers intervened and stopped him from taking the extreme step.

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According to Shekhar Reddy, he had sold 505 bags of paddy at the local procurement centre around 15 days ago. He alleged that millers and procurement centre administrators had deducted 25 quintals at the rate of five kg per bag from the total stock, citing chaff and impurities.

Shekhar Reddy had cultivated paddy on 20 acres and transported 505 bags to the procurement centre. He said the deductions caused him severe financial and mental distress.

Farmers in the village said the situation worsened as another batch of more than 600 paddy bags belonging to him had remained at the procurement centre for the past 10 days without being weighed.

They alleged that irregularities were taking place at the Bopparam procurement centre and claimed the delay in procurement had pushed the farmer into distress.