A farmer reportedly committed suicide after hitting his wife with a machete at Kunchenahalli in Shivamogga taluk on Friday night. Lokesh Naik, 38, is survived by his wife Sumitra Bai, who is undergoing treatment at Manipal, and two children.
The husband and wife had quarrelled over financial matters on Friday. He was in deep debt as the earnings from his areca farm were low. He had not been able to clear loans he borrowed from a bank and a cooperative society. Because of his financial constraints, he hardly fulfilled the needs of the family and that led to heated arguments between him and his wife often, according to Vasudeva Naik, a resident of the village.
On Friday he hit her with a hatchet and ended his life. The relatives shifted Sumitra Bai to Manipal for treatment. Shivamogga Police reached the spot and registered an unnatural death report.
(Those in distress or those having suicidal tendencies can call Arogya Sahayavani Ph.: 104 for help.)
