Hailstorm ruins Ujjain crops, farmer dies by suicide:Distress over sister’s wedding in two months; shared emotional social media status before death

A 30-year-old farmer died by suicide on Wednesday morning after his wheat crop was destroyed by heavy rain, strong winds, and hail in Ujjain district. The deceased, identified as Pankaj Malviya, was a resident of Kheda Jamuniya village under Tarana tehsil. Pankaj had cultivated wheat on nearly six bighas of land, all of which was severely damaged in the recent hailstorm. According to family members, he had been under acute mental stress since the crop loss. On Tuesday night, Pankaj did not return home. When family members went to the fields on Wednesday morning, they found his body. Emotional Social Media Post Before Death Relatives said that before the incident, Pankaj had recorded a video of his ruined crop and posted it as a status on social media, expressing his anguish. He had reportedly been tense since the evening following the hailstorm. Family members believe the financial loss and mounting responsibilities deeply affected him. Sister’s Wedding Added to Anxiety According to Ishwar Lal Parmar, a relative of the deceased, Pankaj’s sister had been engaged just two days earlier, and her wedding was scheduled for April. He said that after the hailstorm, Pankaj called him around 7 pm, worried about how he would manage the wedding expenses after losing his crop. Pankaj reportedly said he had already paid the advance (bayana) and was anxious about arranging the remaining money. “I tried to reassure him and told him that the family would manage everything together and that he should not worry,” Ishwar Lal said. “But despite this, he took this extreme step.” MLA Demands ₹50 Lakh Compensation Following the incident, local MLA Mahesh Parmar visited the bereaved family to offer condolences. He described the suicide as a tragic consequence of crop failure and financial distress. The MLA demanded that the state government provide ₹50 lakh in compensation to the farmer’s family. He also announced plans to gherao the SDM office to press for financial relief for the affected family. Growing Concern Over Farmer Distress The incident has once again highlighted the severe impact of unseasonal weather on farmers and the urgent need for timely compensation and support mechanisms for those affected by natural calamities.