Farmer in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri kills self over fear of losing his farmland to GAIL pipeline project

C Ganesan, a 43-year-old farmer from Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, killed himself by hanging from a tree on his farm. He took the extreme step over fear that the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) pipeline project would lead to him losing his land.

A 43-year-old farmer from Kariyappanahalli village near Papparapatti town in Dharmapuri committed suicide by hanging from a tree on his farmland after his land was allegedly surveyed by officials from Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) for the pipeline project.

Farmers in Kariyappanahalli have been protesting against officials conducting land surveys for the pipeline project. C Ganesan, the deceased, took the extreme step after a protest against the land surveys.

The farmers in the region, who got word about Ganesan's death, blocked the Dharmapuri-Hogenakkal highway with Ganesan’s dead body for over six hours.

Since Monday April 11, GAIL officials had been conducting land surveys with the help of revenue officials in Nallampalli, Palacode, Papparapatti, Indur and Karimangalam areas of Dharmapuri district.

The farmers of the region have been demanding that the GAIL pipeline project be scrapped.

Ganesan, who owned an acre of farmland, is alleged to have taken his life by hanging from a tree over fear that the pipeline project would lead to him losing his farmland.