Tragic Death of Farmer After Prolonged Wait to Sell Paddy Sparks Outcry in Odisha
A 53-year-old farmer from Kendrapada district in Odisha died at his home on Wednesday night after allegedly waiting for four days to have his paddy weighed and sold at a nearby rice mill. The incident has ignited a fierce political debate and raised serious questions about the state's agricultural procurement system.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The deceased has been identified as Trilochan Nayak of Junagadi village under Rajnagar block. According to his younger brother Durodhan Nayak, 51, Trilochan had gone to the primary cooperative society on February 22 to sell 51 quintals of paddy.
"He was instructed to unload his crop at the Ramachandi rice mill in Gopalpur," Durodhan explained. "He waited under the open sky for three days and nights for his turn. He began feeling unwell on Wednesday afternoon, returned home, and collapsed that night."
The family revealed that Trilochan had spent approximately ₹18,000 on tractor rental, loading, and unloading charges for the ill-fated transaction. Durodhan directly attributed his brother's death to the immense mental and physical stress caused by the procurement delay.
Conflicting Accounts from Officials
Gobinda Jena, secretary of the Dangamala Agricultural Cooperative Society, offered a contradictory version of events. He denied that the farmer was ever asked to take his stock to the rice mill.
"Trilochan was properly registered with the mandi and had received an SMS on January 14 instructing him to bring his crop," Jena stated. "He arrived on February 22 and successfully sold 38 quintals of paddy. We never directed him to take his remaining crop to any mill."
Administrative Response and Investigation
Following the incident, the district administration has taken swift action. Nabakrishna Jena, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Kendrapada, confirmed that the Rajnagar Tahasildar and the Civil Supplies Officer have been directed to submit a detailed report.
"Appropriate action will be taken once we receive and review the report," the ADM assured.
Rajnagar Tahasildar Jisukrishna Das announced that an inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the exact circumstances leading to the farmer's death. "We will submit our findings promptly," Das stated.
Broader Issues in Agricultural Procurement
Farmer leaders have highlighted systemic problems plaguing the procurement process. Umesh Chandra Singh, president of the district unit of Krusaka Sabha, explained that repeated delays and long travel distances to Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) are forcing desperate farmers to sell their produce at rates significantly below the government-mandated price.
"Many farmers invested heavily this year expecting to sell at the official rate of ₹3,100 per quintal for FAQ paddy," Singh noted. "But with authorities delaying procurement and millers offering lower prices, farmers are suffering devastating financial losses."
Political Fallout and Accusations
The farmer's death has triggered a heated political confrontation in Odisha, with both the ruling BJP and opposition BJD exchanging sharp accusations.
BJP's district unit president Sasanka Sekhar Sethi dismissed attempts to link the death with procurement lapses as "politically motivated." He emphasized that Nayak had already sold 38 quintals of paddy and that procurement at ₹3,100 per quintal was proceeding smoothly.
"The BJP government is committed to purchasing every grain farmers bring to market," Sethi asserted. "His unfortunate death has no connection with the procurement process. The opposition is attempting to politicize a personal tragedy."
In contrast, BJD leaders launched a scathing attack on the state government, alleging a complete collapse of the procurement system. Senior BJD figures Debi Prasad Mishra and Dr. Lenin Mohanty demanded the immediate resignation of Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, characterizing the situation as "a systematic failure."
They claimed that despite receiving a procurement token on January 16, Nayak faced repeated harassment, including unfair deductions of 6 kg per quintal, and was forced to wait at a mill for three excruciating days.
BJD leaders further accused the minister of "misleading the public" by presenting conflicting procurement figures. They alleged that only 33% of the state's total paddy output had been procured so far, indicating widespread systemic breakdown.
This tragic incident has exposed deep-seated issues in Odisha's agricultural procurement infrastructure while highlighting the human cost of bureaucratic delays and political disputes over farmer welfare.
