In response to an RTI application, the Gujarat Police has put it on record that 366 farmers have committed suicide in 16 districts between 2003 and April 2007.

While the Gujarat Government continues to deny that there have been any cases of farmer suicides, police of 15 districts, in response to an RTI filed by social activist Bharatsinh Jhala, have given a list of farmer suicide cases. Junagadh reported 85 suicide cases followed by 62 in Rajkot. No suicides were reported from Dahod, Narmada, Banaskantha and Bhavnagar in the list.

Police have stated various reasons for the suicides, including mental instability, ill health, debt, family reasons and “unknown reasons”. However, in 16 cases, police have clearly mentioned that farmers killed themselves over crop failure or financial reasons.

A copy of the response obtained by The Indian Express shows that officially, in 2005, four farmers across Ahmedabad rural, Anand and Bharuch took the extreme step due to financial reasons, while in 2006, two in Bharuch killed themselves for the same reason. The number of suicides for financial reasons in 2004 is five and in 2007 (till April) is four.

“According to the documents provided by district police departments, maximum number of suicides has been reported from Junagadh with 85 cases,” Jhala said, adding, Junagadh is followed by Rajkot rural with 59 cases and Mehsana with 48 cases.

“What is surprising is that the official figure for suicides in Bhavnagar and some other districts is nil, while I personally have visited families of farmers from Bhavnagar, who have killed themselves for financial reasons,” Jhala said.