Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • Nepal protests
  • Nepal Protests Live
  • Vice-presidential elections
  • iPhone 17
  • IND vs PAK cricket
  • Israel-Hamas war
fp-logo
In Gajendra Singh's village there are more questions than answers: Suicide or accident?
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • India
  • In Gajendra Singh's village there are more questions than answers: Suicide or accident?

In Gajendra Singh's village there are more questions than answers: Suicide or accident?

Sandipan Sharma • April 24, 2015, 07:34:15 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

Gajendra’s family says he was not thrown out of home by his father, a claim that contradicts the note he left behind.

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
In Gajendra Singh's village there are more questions than answers: Suicide or accident?

In Gajendra Singh’s Nangal Jhamarwada village everybody has a doubt. Did Gajendra really write a suicide note? If yes, did he tell the truth about his plight? Who gave him the towel he turned into a noose? Whose battle was he fighting—his own or of farmers? What was the nature of his relation with his father? Cops are yet to speak to the family or people of this dusty, sun-baked village in Dausa, around 100km east of Jaipur. But the media has already conducted an inquest, asked several questions and grilled every available villager. Every answer, however, has left behind a few more questions. [caption id=“attachment_2209352” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] ![Naresh Sharma/Firstpost](https://images.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/farmer_suicide_Naresh-Sharma.jpg) Naresh Sharma/Firstpost[/caption] Gajendra’s family says he was not thrown out of home by his father, a claim that contradicts the note he left behind. The bereaved father himself doesn’t say much. But villagers say he was extremely fond of his son and fainted several times on hearing of his death. The family has around 17 bigha of inherited land in the village. All of it is in the father’s name. Gajendra made a living helping his father manage the farm during the sowing season. When there was nothing to do in the village, he would tie colorful Rajasthani turbans at hotels. going by their pucca house and the paved road that leads to it, Gajendra seemed to have done well juggling farming and his small enterprise. This year there wasn’t much to do on the farm. In March the weather turned inclement and destroyed crops in 33 districts of Rajasthan. According to state government officials, in Gajendra’s village 20 to 30 percent of the crops are said to have been destroyed. The villagers, however, put the figure at 80 percent. Three days ago, Gajendra left the village saying he was going to Jaipur. So, his sister was surprised when she got a call from him around 1:30 pm on Wednesday, saying he would soon appear on TV. “There was a wedding in the family; his cousin was getting married. So, Gajendra told his sister that he would return after appearing on TV,” says his friend Surendra Singh. He didn’t. Only his body returned to the village, just before his cousin’s wedding. “He didn’t mention suicide. There was no indication that he had any financial worries. Nobody ever saw him with a gamcha (towel). His death doesn’t make sense,” his family argues. Some of his friends like Surendra, however, claim that Gajendra was always a fighter; give him a cause and he would be first to stand up for it, they vouch. He wanted to make a name, be known as somebody important, had a weakness for photo-ops, was used to publicity—his twirling moustache and impressive beard had won him the title of Rajasthan Kesari—and had political ambitions. Nobody knows what killed him. Was it an accident; or a desperate bid to get into the limelight even if it meant paying for it with his life? Dead men do not confess. So we will never know. And the doubts will remain as long as Gajendra’s story is told in the village. To his credit, Gajendra has achieved what thousands of farmers who commit suicide every year could not. Like John Doe, protagonist of the eponymous Hollywood film (later remade as Main Azad Hoon) who offers to impersonate a non-existent person and commit suicide for a cause, Gajendra has managed to draw attention to the plight of farmers. Around the time Gajendra’s body was being brought to his village, just a few km away in Alwar, Harsukh Lal Jatav threw himself in front of a train. Jatav had taken around 12 bigha land on lease for farming. But the wheat crop he had sown was destroyed by rain. He had borrowed Rs 2 lakh from a bank, while another 1.5 lakh was to be paid to the owner of the leased land. In Rajasthan, many farmers like Jatav are on the brink of ruin. They have lost an estimated Rs 8,500 crore because of unseasonal rain and hailstorms. In nearly 21,000 villages of the state, desperate farmers and their families are waiting for somebody to bail them out. The state government, in turn, has sought a compensation package of nearly Rs 8,200 crore from the Centre. On any other day, Jatav’s death and his story would have been ignored. But on Thursday it was there on the front page of every important newspaper in the state. We can question Gajendra’s intentions. But his death has turned him into a martyr for the cause of farmers. About this, there should be no doubt.

Tags
Rajasthan Jantar Mantar Turban Jaipur AAP FromTheGround Gajendra Singh Nangal Jhamarwada village
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

NDA's CP Radhakrishnan wins vice presidential election

NDA's CP Radhakrishnan wins vice presidential election

CP Radhakrishnan of BJP-led NDA won the vice presidential election with 452 votes, defeating INDIA bloc's B Sudershan Reddy who secured 300 votes. The majority mark was 377.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports

QUICK LINKS

  • Mumbai Rains
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV