Kerala govt to freeze attachment of properties of farmer who died by suicide

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 11 (PTI) The Kerala government on Thursday decided to freeze the attachment of properties of a paddy farmer who ended his life due to financial issues in the Kuttanad region in November last year. His family was served a notice for the attachment of his house recently as the repayment of the loan taken from the Kerala State Development Corporation for SC-ST Corporation was due, sources close to them said.

However, Minister for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, K Radhakrishnan intervened in the matter and decided to halt the attachment procedure, an official statement said. The minister directed the corporation to settle the loan by giving the family maximum concession, it said. Radhakrishnan also sought a report from the officials concerned on issuing the notice to the distressed family without understanding their circumstances, the statement added.

K G Prasad had taken a loan of Rs 60,000 from the Corporation last year. As directed by the minister, the Corporation authorities had visited the farmer’s house and met his family members. A suicide note, purportedly written by Prasad, blaming the Left government and some Banks for his suicide, had triggered a political row in the southern state.
Hailing from Ambedkar Colony in Thakazhi in Alappuzha, he had alleged that he did not get payment for the paddy procured by the government.