Gajendra Singh was not in a state to commit suicide : Family

The suicide of the 41-year-old farmer right under the glare of thousands of people, including Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and television crew has left the nation shell shocked and aghast as no one tried to save his life.

The scarf (safaa) which he used to hang himself from a tree was the one he used for tourists in Jaipur and boasted of a record of tying 20 a minute, reports quoted his acquaintances as saying.

It has been known that Singh was a cheerful and energetic person. He had the mind of an activist as he would highlight causes like the fight against dowry and alcoholism.

"He heard about the rally and said he would go because he wanted to draw attention to the suffering of farmers," a villager told NDTV.

Gajendra's relatives say his farm had not been so badly damaged and he was not in dire financial crisis. In 17 bighas  of land, he owned several trees of guava and aamla or gooseberry; his wheat and mustard crop had been destroyed in unseasonal rain.

Gajendra had reportedly told an aunt who lives in Delhi, that he would come to her house after the rally to have dinner.

"He even called up his younger brother Vijendra Singh on his cellphone to say he was on TV," said a villager.

Most villagers describe him as a kind and generous person who was always ready to help.

"He climbed the tree only to grab attention. Can you seriously believe a man would climb a tree in front of so many people and commit suicide? I can't believe that not one person tried to save him," a villager said.

His family says the letter that Gajendra threw down at the crowd was not a suicide note. "He just wanted help," a relative said.

After various accounts, the Delhi police are investigating whether Gajendra's death was a suicide or an accident.