Watch: Khammam farmer tries to end life over land dispute, records selfie video

In the selfie video, the farmer, Venkat Reddy alleged that one Jatoth Veeranna encroached upon his agriculture land

Khammam: A farmer, Aleti Venkat Reddy allegedly attempted suicide by consuming pesticide at his farm at Janpahad village of Khammam rural mandal in the district.

Before attempting suicide on Sunday, the farmer took a selfie video in which he alleged that an individual Jatoth Veeranna was encroaching upon his agriculture land. He complained that the issue was taken to the notice of police several times, but police favoured Veeranna. Venkat Reddy, who fell unconscious because of the pesticide he consumed, was shifted to a private hospital in Khammam for treatment after the locals informed his family members.

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It was said that Venkat Reddy owns three acres of land at the village. Veeranna bought a piece of land from Venkat Reddy’s brother Bhupal Reddy some time ago. As the land was not suitable for cultivation, Veeranna was allegedly trying to encroach on his land by changing the boundaries, the family members said. Cases were filed in the local police station regarding the issue in the past. It was alleged Bhupal Reddy died by suicide earlier because of the dispute over the land. The local police said a case was registered based on the complaint of Venkata Reddy’s family members and investigation is going on.

Of late, a disturbing trend of farmers resorting to suicide over land issues has emerged in the district. It might be recalled that a farmer Bojedla Prabhakar died by suicide on June 1 because of a dispute over his land at Proddutur of Chintakani mandal. A farmer P Bhadraiah of Usirikayalapalli village of Karepalli mandal attempted suicide on July 4 while on July 8 a farmer M Seethaiah of Banapuram village in Mudigonda mandal consumed pesticide over a land dispute. On July 9, a podu farmer Prasad attempted suicide by consuming pesticide at Rajab Ali Nagar in Raghunathapalem mandal in Khammam district while on July 26, a farmer M Ashok of Kattugudem village of Annapureddypalle mandal in Kothagudem district died by suicide.