RAIPUR: A 40-year-old tribal farmer in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district allegedly consumed pesticide after repeatedly failing to get an online token to sell his paddy under the state procurement system. He is currently battling for life at the Government Medical College Hospital, while the district administration has suspended a patwari and issued a show-cause notice to the tehsildar. The incident took place in Korbi Dhatura village in Katghora subdivision. The farmer, identified as Sumer Singh Gond, 40, owns three acres and 75 dismil of land and has produced over 68 quintals of paddy this season. Despite this, he was unable to sell his crop because no token was generated in his name on the state’s online paddy procurement portal. Korba collector Kunal Dudawat has suspended patwari Kamini Kare. According to a report submitted by the sub-divisional officer (revenue), the patwari allegedly did not conduct proper field inspection and verification during online mapping of several farmers’ land. As a result, affected cultivators were unable to sell paddy at procurement centres. The collector has also issued a show-cause notice to Hardi Bazar tehsildar Abhijit Rajbhanu for supervisory lapses. An inquiry committee has been constituted, and further action will be taken based on its findings. According to family members, the problem began during crop inspection, when the patwari allegedly recorded a different crop under the khasra number where Sumer had actually grown paddy. Because of this mismatch in revenue records, his paddy was not correctly reflected in the online system, and he could not get a token. Compounding the problem, Sumer does not own a mobile phone. Villagers said he had to run from pillar to post just to check token status or request help. He reportedly approached the patwari and the tehsildar several times and later submitted an application to correct his land and crop records, said local farmer Sanjay Srivas from Korbi. Meanwhile, from 7 January, the facility to generate online tokens was temporarily stopped, further closing the window for distressed farmers like him. Drank pesticide at night, wife heard glass fall Late on Sunday night, a frustrated Sumer allegedly consumed pesticide kept at home, reportedly with the intention of ending his life. His wife, Mukund Bai, told reporters the incident happened around 1 am. “I heard the sound of a glass falling. When I went there, I realised he had drunk pesticide. With the help of neighbours, we took him first to the health centre and then he was referred to the medical college hospital because his condition was serious,” she said. Doctors at the medical college hospital are treating him; his condition is stated to be critical. Under the state government’s online system in Korba district, farmers must obtain digital tokens before selling paddy at procurement centres. In Sumer’s case, the combination of a wrong crop entry in records and the halt in token generation pushed him into a corner, officials said. The episode triggered a stir in the administration once it was reported that a farmer had attempted suicide over token-related issues. State minister Lakhan Dewangan said the farmer’s landholding had been reduced in the records during girdawari. “He had applied to the tehsildar for correction of the record. When that did not happen, the farmer took this extreme step. A probe committee has been formed; whoever is found guilty will face action,” he said. Korba Congress MP Jyotsna Mahant visited the hospital and met Sumer Singh on Monday, listening to his account and that of his family. Speaking to the media, she condemned the BJP government. “There is complete chaos at paddy procurement centres. Records are not being corrected, tokens are not being issued, and farmers are not being heard anywhere. The government’s claims exist only on paper,” she said.