Santal farmers died consuming poison: Autopsy report

"We sent the samples taken during the autopsy of the bodies to the lab for viscera examination. According to the report, compounds used in pesticides were found in the bodies of the two farmers."
The investigating officer of the case SI Mahfuzur Rahman said officials have been sent to bring the report. After receiving the autopsy report, further action will be taken, the SI added.

Earlier on March 24, Rabi Marandi, 32, a Santal community member of Nimghatu village in Godagari upazila, and his cousin Abhinath, 30, consumed poison in front of Shakhawat Hossain.

They took the decision out of anger "as Shakhawat was not giving them a serial number for a long time to get irrigation water supplied to their fields in Iswarpur", according to their family.

Abhinath died around 9pm after reaching home on March 24 while Rabi died two days later at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH).

Later, the Agriculture Ministry formed a four-member panel to probe the deaths of the two farmers.

The committee had been asked to submit its report within a week.

Md Abu Jubayer Hossain Bablu, a joint secretary of the ministry, has been made the convenor of the committee. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Muhammad Shariful Hauque, representative of Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner, Md Sazzad Hossain, executive engineer of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Natore, and Md Shamsher Ali, executive engineer, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), Naogao, are its other members.