Three farmers have been found dead in West Bengal's rice bowl Purba Bardhaman district in the last two days, the police informed on Sunday. The three allegedly died by suicide after Cyclone Jawad destroyed their potato and paddy crops. The district administration is probing the incidents. While two were found hanging in their houses in Debipur and Bantir villages in Raina I block on Saturday, the third was found hanging in his house in Biruha village in Kalna II block on Friday.
The police have informed that the bodies have been sent to Bardhaman Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination. District Magistrate Priyanka Singla also informed that the incidents are being investigated.
After preliminary examination, it was found that the suicides were not due to crop loss, said Raina I block BDO Soumen Banik. The police and the agriculture department have been asked to further investigate the incidents, he added.
The farmers' suicides would not have been due to crop failure as they received financial help under 'Krishak Bandhu' scheme a week ago, said Pradip Mazumdar, adviser to the state government on agriculture.
Raina MLA Shampa Dhara also claimed that the deaths were not due to crop failure.