Yavatmal farmer: Last rites conducted

Activist Devanand Pawar of Shetkari Nyay Hakka Andolan Samiti, who had spearheaded the agitation and was detained on Wednesday after the farmer’s eldest daughter Jayashri had lodged a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “pushing her father to commit suicide”, was released and allowed to participate in the deliberations.

There, however, was no concrete assurance from the government on the family’s demand for compensation and a government job for the farmer’s eldest daughter Jayashri. “I didn’t expect the chief minister to be such a fugitive (palputa). He cancelled his Yavatmal visit to run away from paying a visit to us. What else can you expect from such a fugitive CM?” she said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was scheduled to inaugurate the new building of Yavatmal Urban Co-operative Bank in the city, skipped the function and went straight to Umarkhed town where he attended the other pre-scheduled programme on Thursday.

Asked if any of the family’s demands have been met, Yavatmal Resident Deputy Collector Narendra Fulzele said: “They have been assured that the government will provide whatever was due to them under the provisions for such cases after due scrutiny.”

Former BJP MP and now state Congress vice-president, Nana Patole, visited the family on Thursday. As reported earlier by The Indian Express, the suicide note was reportedly handed over to the police by a relative six hours after the body was removed from the scene and had found no mention in the spot and inquest panchnamas. The police have said it is scrutinising the note.