A Maharashtra farmer’s harrowing story

A small loan that spiralled into crushing debt and ended in the loss of a kidney has placed a farmer in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district at the centre of a police investigation, after doctors confirmed he has only one kidney, officials said on Wednesday.The farmer, 29-year-old Roshan Kude, underwent a health assessment at Chandrapur Medical College and Hospital, where doctors concluded that one of his kidneys was missing, a senior police official said.Kude had earlier told the police that he was forced to sell his kidney to repay part of the money he had borrowed from four moneylenders, triggering a police probe.The investigation led to the arrest of six moneylenders, five of whom have been remanded in police custody until December 20, the official said.Kude, a resident of Minthur village in Nagbhid tehsil, owns four acres of farmland. After incurring losses in agriculture, he sought to supplement his income by turning to dairy farming. He bought cows, hoping the venture would provide a steady source of income.Kude told police that he borrowed Rs 50,000 from two moneylenders in 2021 at an interest rate of 40 percent. He said the moneylenders later claimed the amount, including interest, had ballooned to Rs 74 lakh.According to the farmer, one of the moneylenders suggested that he sell a kidney to partially clear the debt. Kude then searched online and came into contact with an agent, who took him to Kolkata.After undergoing a medical examination there, Kude travelled to Cambodia, where his kidney was removed, he told police, adding that he received Rs 8 lakh in return.The accused moneylenders have been identified as Kishor Bawankule, Pradip Bawankule, Sanjay Ballarpure, Laxman Urkude, Manish Ghatbandhe and Satyavan Borkar. A case has been registered at the Brahmapuri police station.”We have requested Kude to provide all information. We went through his financial transactions and found that he has borrowed money from multiple moneylenders,” said Chandrapur Superintendent of Police Sudarshan Mummaka on Wednesday.



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