By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Even as help wings to an Orissa farmer who wrote to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for permission to end his own and his physically challenged sons' lives, another impoverished farmer with a sick son has penned a similar plea to the president.
Driven by acute poverty, a starving family in Orissa's Bolangir district has petitioned the president to permit them to commit suicide.
Bhima Kumbhar, 60, lives with his wife Parbati, 55, and physically disabled son Kumar, 22, in Odiapali village. Although the couple used to be labourers, old age and the deteriorating condition of their son are growing hindrances to earning a livelihood, says Oriya daily Dharitri.
They have four acres of land, but a majority of the land is under mortgage for a sum of Rs.7,000. Their physically challenged son gets a Rs.200 pension from the government. This pension money is the only source of income for the family, the newspaper said.
"Without any support, we now feel that we don't have any choice but to die," the couple was quoted as saying by the daily.
"Please give us food or allow us to commit suicide," the couple wrote in the letter to Kalam.
When asked about the farmer's letter, a district administrative official told IANS: "It has come to our notice and we are taking steps how best we can help them."
Earlier, 70-year-old Hakimuddin and his three physically challenged sons of Bhadrak district were promised help after the impoverished man wrote to the president seeking permission to end their lives.
His three sons, Raffiuddin, 35, Mayiuddin, 33, and Mustaffa, 30, suffer from a rare genetic disease that weakens the limbs since they were 15-years-old. They have no money to seek treatment.
His sons have now been given shelter by a voluntary organisation and will undergo preliminary treatment.