Farmers’ suicide: Tube-well operator held

Police yesterday arrested a man for allegedly abetting the suicides of two Santal farmers in Rajshahi's Godagari upazila last month.

The arrestee is Shakhawat Hossain, deep tube-well operator of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) at Issoripur village.

The arrestee stands accused in two cases filed with Godagari Police Station for abetting the suicides by not supplying water to farmlands for Boro irrigation.

Kamrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Godagari Police Station, said they arrested Shakhawat around 1:00am in Chabbishnagar area of the upazila.

Meanwhile, BMDA Executive Director Abdur Rashid said the accused was relieved of his duties after the authorities conducted a probe.

On March 23, two Santal farmers -- Abhinath Mardi and Robi Mardi of Nimghutu village -- drank pesticide standing on their land at Issoripur village to protest Sakhawat's refusal to provide them with water.

Abhinath died at his home on the following night while Robi breathed his last undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on March 25.

Abhinath's wife Rozina Hembrom and Robi's brother Sushil Mardi filed suicide provocation cases against Sakhawat on March 25 and 26.