In a heartbreaking incident from Rangamati village in Chandrakona, West Bengal, a potato farmer named Rakhal Ari has died by suicide, allegedly due to mounting debt and agricultural losses.

The Burden of Debt: Rakhal had cultivated potatoes on four bighas of land, investing approximately ₹1.40 lakh, which he raised by mortgaging his wife’s jewelry and taking loans. However, the market price for potatoes plummeted to a mere ₹320 per quintal, a figure far below the cost of production. Facing immense financial pressure and constant worry about his family of four, Rakhal consumed pesticide and passed away at a hospital on Wednesday night.

Political Fallout: The farmer’s death has sparked a fierce political row in the region. Opposition parties, including the BJP and CPM, have blamed the state government for failing to provide adequate support or price protection to farmers. Chandrakona’s TMC MLA, Arup Dhara, defended the party’s position, stating, “Rakhal was a party worker, and we are standing by his grieving family in every possible way.”

This tragic incident highlights the growing crisis among Bengal’s farmers, where a bumper harvest is proving worthless against crippling market conditions and rising debt.