An 82-year-old farmer, Reddappa, of Yanamalavaripalli village in Madanapalle rural mandal of Annamayya district, reportedly attempted to end his life in his fields, after being thrashed by a group of four villagers.

According to Madanapalle police, the farmer was rearing cattle in his field on Wednesday morning, when a group of persons from the same village forced him to leave the field, claiming that the bit of land was theirs. When he refused to budge to their threats, the latter reportedly assaulted Reddappa.

A humiliated Reddappa reportedly rushed to the hut near the well in the field and ingested pesticide. Hearing the squabble, his wife, Saraswathi (70), rushed to her husband’s rescue, but the attackers assaulted her too before leaving the field after seeing Redappa’s approaching relatives.

The police shifted the elderly couple to the Government Hospital here. The condition of Reddappa was said to be serious. Circle-Inspector (CI) Kala Venkatrao said that further investigation was on. (Those with suicidal thoughts can Dial 100).