Farmer hangs himself at AAP rally

New Delhi, April 22, 2015 (Agencies) :  A farmer from Dausa in Rajasthan committed suicide at the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) farmers' rally at Jantar Mantar here on Wedensday.Gajendra Singh was among five-odd protesters who had climbed atop a tree overlooking the dais at the said rally. A suicide note was recovered from his possession, which stated that he was taking the extreme step because he had been turned out of his house by his father due to a destroyed harvest this year.Mr. Singh hung himself in public view from a tree branch even as those below requested him not to take the plunge. Disregarding their requests, he jumped with a noose around his neck before it gave way and sent him plummeting to the ground below. In the same note, Mr. Singh had mentioned that he was a father of three children.The police said he was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital where he was declared brought dead. AAP volunteers allege the man had climbed the tree at least an hour before he took the extreme step and it was brought to the



knowledge of the policemen who were on duty at the venue of the rally but they failed to act.Party volunteers also said the man was unconscious and barely breathing when three party activists climbed the tree and brought him down after people saw him hanging at Jantar Mantar.Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said man who attempted suicide was from Rajasthan. "We and the (Delhi) government are with the family of the farmer," said Mr. Sisodia.Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was present when the incident took place at the rally, which was attended by thousands at Jantar Mantar in the heart of the national capital.Senior AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Dr. Kumar Vishwas blamed the police for Mr. Singh's suicide pointing out that no one from the force moved even a muscle to come to his aid.“The Delhi Police is working in accordance with a conspiracy hatched by the Narendra Modi-led Central Government to discredit the AAP government; they might not answer to us, but they are, like everyone, answerable to God,” said Mr. Sisodia.