Land loser farmer ends life for not getting job at factory

A 35-year-old man ended his life by hanging, upset over not getting a job in the factory established on his family’s land, acquired for setting up a factory by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) on Sunday night.

Siddaraju of Adakanahalli in the taluk is the deceased. Siddaraju and his brothers had six acres of ancestral property in the village. The KIADB acquired their land and handed it over to a private company to set up its factory.

The farmer’s death note said, “As per norms, one of the members of the land loser family should be given a job. I have been requesting the Board and the private company for a job for the last four years. Instead of giving a job, they lodged a complaint against me and my family, for seeking justice. We have no other income. We have even lost the land and are in debt. Dejected over this, I am ending my life”.

Siddaraju is survived by his wife and two children. His wife Rakshitha has lodged a complaint with the rural police.

His family members staged a protest in front of the K R Hospital mortuary, where his body was kept, seeking legal action against those responsible for his death and suitable compensation.

Varuna constituency Ashraya Samiti president Yathindra Siddaramaiah visited the spot and presented the family a cheque for Rs 5 lakh as government compensation.

He also promised to get the private company to pay compensation.