Financial crisis coupled with pressure from local politicians reportedly drove a Dalit youth to end his life at Musunuru village in the district on Saturday.
D. Karunakar had reportedly taken two fish ponds on sub-lease in Annagaripalem panchayat three years ago. However, he found the going tough as some local ruling party leaders allegedly did not allow him to harvest the reared fish despite repeated pleas in the last two months, according to a suicide note left behind by him, his family claimed on Sunday.
Karunakar resorted to the extreme step at his home on Saturday, leaving behind his wife, two daughters and elderly parents in the lurch.
According to the police, he had mortgaged his house and was struggling to run his business as his debts mounted to ₹20 lakh. He sub-leased the ponds from the Lakshmipuram Fishermen Society.
Pouring out his woes in a letter to the Superintendent of Police Ch. Vijaya Rao, he pleaded for justice to his family. Based on a complaint filed by Karunakar’s wife, Kandukur Deputy Superintendent of Police K. Srinivasa Rao launched an investigation after registering a case under Indian Penal Code 306 (abetment to suicide) and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Meanwhile, TDP Polit Bureau member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy visited the members of the bereaved family and expressed their condolences. Instead of succumbing to pressure from the ruling party, people should boldly face them head on, he said, adding that the opposition party would stand by them. He said the district administration should ensure justice to the victim’s family.
The TDP leader appealed to the officials of the Revenue, Police and Fisheries departments to provide protection to the members of the bereaved family and allow them to continue fishing without any hindrance.
“Had the YSRCP government taken stringent action against those responsible for the suicide of Udayagiri Narayana of Kandamooru village, this incident could have been prevented,” he opined. The government should provide a compensation of ₹8.24 lakh, a job for Karunakar’s wife, free education for his two children and a pension for his mother, he demanded.
