Sambalpur: A farmer of Raisalpada under Gaisilet block allegedly committed suicide on Monday night taking the death toll to nine due to crop loss in Bargarh district.

Umakanta Sahu, 30, is alleged to have consumed pesticide in the evening. As he fell ill, he was taken to Luisingha hospital and later referred to Balangir district headquarters hospital, where he died at night.

Umakanta had cultivated crops in his five acres of non-irrigated land by taking loan of Rs 75,000 from the co-operative society, his family members said.

The farmer had also taken some hand loan from the local businessmen.

Apprehending that he would not be able to repay the loan amount, and at the same time, it would be difficult for him to manage family without earning, he is said to have consumed pesticide.

Angry villagers and his family members resorted to roadblock at Sradhapali on the Padampur-Balangir road with Umakanta's body.

Gaisilet tehsildar Sradhakar Kumbhar visited the spot and assured the agitators of departmental assessment of crop damage.

He said the authorities would pay compensation to the victim's family on the approval of the state government.

The tehsildar also paid Rs 10,000 from the Red Cross fund and Rs 2,000 under the Harischandra yojana for performing Sahu's last rites.

After staging two hours of blockade, the protesters vacated the road following the authorities' assurance.

Bargarh district - known as the rice bowl of Odisha - has been affected by pest attacks. Farmer Indra Barihas of Manamunda village was the first one to commit suicide on October 26 - followed by Jagdish Budhek of Jalgarh village in Paikmal block, who died on the next day.