Hubballi: Already in financial trouble, it was the last straw for farmer, Jagadish Kudarihal, 45, of Chandapur village, Haveri district, when the bank he had taken a loan from threatened him to sell his land to recover its dues.

Seeing no way out, he committed suicide, hanging himself. He is not the only farmer who has been driven to despair as two more have ended their lives under pressure from banks to repay loans in Haveri and Bagalkots over the last two weeks.

Most farmers have lost their crop in heavy rain and have not been able to repay loans but banks are not willing to give them any leeway.

Farmer leaders have taken to the streets demanding action against the banks noting that small and marginal farmers were being harassed despite the government announcing a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for them.

“My husband committed suicide as the officers of State Bank of India harassed him to pay the instalment due on his Rs 3.15 lakh loan for sinking a borewell,” said Savithrevva Kudarihal, wife of the dead farmer, .

Bharamappa Hakki of Baradi village in Haveri , who committed suicide, had taken a loan of Rs 1.25 lakh from SBI and was served several notices.

And farmer Basappa Meti, from Bevinahal village in Bagalkot, who consumed pesticide, had taken a Rs 2.3 lakh loan from co-operative societies.