Sambalpur, Oct. 22: A farmer who had allegedly consumed pesticide, died last night.

Siba Majhi, 55, of Gailgudi village in Jujumura block had consumed pesticide late on Tuesday night and was found in a critical condition in his farmland in the early hours of Wednesday.

He was rushed to the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Burla for treatment. However, he died late last night.

Family sources said the farmer had grown paddy over 1.5acres. He had taken Rs 20,000 loan from a moneylender and had also purchased a pair of bullocks.

However, the crops got damaged due to pest attack. Though he had sprayed pesticide twice on his land, it still failed to save the crops. Siba was under severe mental stress because of this.

"He had borrowed money for farming. But the crops got damaged due to a pest attack. He was under severe mental pressure because of the crop loss and loan burden," said Ghosana Majhi, 50, the deceased's wife.

Siba is survived by his widow, three sons and one daughter. The autopsy of the body was conducted today. Police have registered a case of unnatural death. His body was handed over to the family members later.

Earlier, another farmer, Sanatan Mirdha, 45, of Jharjhari village in Jujumura block had committed suicide by hanging himself on October 9 because of crop loss due to scanty rainfall.

More than 10 farmers of western Odisha have allegedly committed suicide this year after failing to repay their loan following crop loss.