Debt-hit Telangana farmer climbs atop phone tower near assembly

Hyderabad, Sep 29: A debt-hit farmer climbed a cell phone tower in front of the Telangana assembly here threatening to jump down even as the legislature discussed the issue of farmers' suicides. The farmer from Warangal district climbed the cell phone tower across the road from the assembly building in the heart of city, causing a flutter in the high security zone. Senior police officials rushed to the scene and tried to persuade him to get down. Samaiah, the farmer, contacted some television channels and told them that he would jump to death as he was running into huge debts due to crop failure. He also carried a bottle of pesticides with him. A few minutes before the assembly adjourned for the day after a heated debate on the issue of farmers' suicides, Samaiah took everyone by surprise by climbing up the cell phone tower around 1.30 p.m. Two farmers have ended their lives in Hyderabad this month, bringing into focus the plight of farming community in Telangana, the state with second highest farmer suicide deaths after Maharashtra.