Farmer's suicide: Kin get tax paper at cost of a life

Kozhikode: The family of Kavil Purayidathil Thomas alias Joy (57), the farmer who allegedly committed suicide on Wednesday, got the receipt for land tax remitted on Friday amidst murky tales of corruption in the Chembanoda village office. However, confusion over the ownership of the land, again led to chaos in the Chembanoda village office. Mr Joy had been involved in clashes with the village officer and village assistant when the officials claimed that the tax for the land in the name of his wife Moly, was already remitted. On Friday, the officials accepted the tax of the land, where the family resides now.

District collector U.V. Jose submitted a primary report to the government on the situation that led to the suicide of the farmer in Chembanoda village office on Wednesday night. It is known that there are strong findings against the officials in delaying the tax receipt to Mr Joy. A comprehensive report would be submitted in a week after the detailed inquiry by the land revenue deputy collector.

Meanwhile, Joy’s widow alleged that the officials demanded Rs 1 lakh bribe to pay the land tax. She added that "Joy was forced to take the extreme step by these corrupt officials". Mr Joy’s brother remitted the tax on Friday. However, they found that there were corrections made on the document and therefore suspect corruption. Following this, the Vigilance department paid a quick inspection visit of the Chembanoda village office. On Saturday, Revenue secretary P.H. Kurian will visit the office.

Meanwhile, the locals demanded that the officials be charged with abetment to suicide. Village officer C.A Sunny and village assistant Sileesh Thomas were suspended by the collector on Thursday. Perambra block panchayat member Jithesh Muthukad, who had been helping Mr Joy in clearing the tax papers said that more officials were responsible for the suicide. “The papers were cleared and tabled before the tahsildar, almost a month ago and I had informed Mr Joy to wait.  But he replied that he did not need any more papers. Had he known this, we would not have lost him now. At this point, the government should come forward to adopt the family,” he said.