Harda, June 9: A 44-year-old farmer who was struggling to repay loans allegedly committed suicide by consuming a poisonous substance in Madhya Pradesh's Harda district, police said on Friday.

Rajesh Karode, a resident of Dagavshankar village, allegedly consumed celphos on June 7, following which his family members rushed him to the district hospital, an official said. Farmers Committing Suicide is Not New Issue, Says Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar.

Karode was later shifted to a private facility and again referred to the district hospital, where he died during treatment around 12 pm on Friday, hospital police post in-charge assistant sub inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kushwaha said. The police are investigating the matter, he said.

Meanwhile, the farmer's son Virendra Karode claimed that his father had a debt burden of Rs 40 lakh and moneylenders were troubling him every day because of which he took the extreme step. Maharashtra: 1,023 Farmers Ended Lives in Marathwada Region in 2022 Compared to 887 in 2021.

He further alleged that moneylenders had imposed 10 per cent interest on the amount his father had borrowed, because of which the outstanding amount had increased to Rs 40 lakh and they even had to sell 10 acres land towards repayment.