The West Bengal government on Tuesday claimed that the land of the Singur farmer, who committed suicide on Monday, had not been acquired for the Tata Motors' small car project.
Director of Industries M V Rao told PTI that the district administration on inquiry found that Haradhan Bag had only four 'cottahs' at Singur and not an inch of his land was taken up for the small car unit.
A senior activist of the opposition-led Krishi Jomi Raksha (Save Farmland) Committee also conceded that Bag had a very small plot, which had not been affected by the project.
"I was not aware that he did not have that much land," Becharam Manna, the convenor of the committee, said. He had earlier said that Bag's one acre land had been acquired.
He, however, said Bag was depressed at the plight of the farmers whose land had been acquired and was an active participant in the agitation against land acquisition.
It was learnt from his family sources that Bag had an altercation with one of his sons the night before he committed suicide and it is believed that the incident may be a fallout of family dispute.
Police said Bag (62) was found dead by his family members at his house at Beraberi Purbapara area of Singur.