Bhubaneswar: The unseasonal rainfall followed by hailstorm has destroyed crops in lakhs of acres in more than 12 districts of the state.

One person each was killed in Balasore, Bargarh and Mayurbhanj districts during the storm. While one each died after trees fell on them in Bargarh and Balasore, another was killed in a wall collapse in Mayurbhanj.

Farmers on Thursday launched an agitation before the district collector's office in Bargarh and Sonepur, demanding compensation for the crop loss. During the agitation in Bargarh, a farmer allegedly tried to commit suicide by taking pesticide. The victim, identified as Akur Bishi of Kanbar village, was among the hundreds of people, who were staging the agitation. The farmers immediately shifted him to VSS Institute of Medical Science and Research in Burla, but his condition is stated to be critical.

Agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy said: "We will initiate a probe into the incident. All assistance will be given to the farmers, who have lost their properties due to the rain."

Deputy relief commissioner Prabhat Mohapatra said: "We have asked the district collectors to submit the report on the crop loss as soon as possible." The special relief commissioner has also released funds to the affected districts to take up the emergency repair works.

Officials said a compensation amount of Rs 5.31 lakh has been awarded to the victims of Mayurbhanj district.

In the Sonepur incident, many farmers from Binika block of the district on Thursday took to the streets, protesting against the district administration's inaction in addressing their crop loss.

Traffic on the Sonepur-Binika state highway halted as the farmers staged a roadblock at Ghodadhar Square. Vehicles remain stranded on both sides of the road as the protesters squatted on the road. The roadblock was withdrawn in the afternoon after the district collector reached the protest venue and assured the protesters of immediate action.

Sonepur district collector Dasarathi Satapathy also visited the farmland of some villages in Binika block to take stock of the situation.

"The revenue and agriculture departments have been asked to jointly calculate the losses in various parts of the district. They have been asked to submit the report within 24 hours. We will send the report to the government and act according to its order," he said.

Additional reporting by Sudip Kumar Guru