A 60-year-old man's body was discovered in a sugarcane field in Beed, Maharashtra, with authorities suspecting suicide linked to tuberculosis and mental distress.
Charred remains of a 60-year-old man were recovered from a sugarcane field in Maharashtra's Beed district, with the police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, an official said on Sunday.
The body of Vishwanath Panchal was found in a field in Mamdapur village of Ambajogai tehsil in the early hours of Saturday, he said.
According to the police, the death came to light when a fire broke out on the field, and a farm worker alerted the landowner.
The victim, Panchal, was well-educated and associated with the Warkari sect, a devotional movement in Maharashtra. However, he had reportedly been suffering from tuberculosis and was under mental stress due to the illness, the official said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Panchal had allegedly attempted suicide by injuring himself with a blade, he said.
"Prima facie, it appears that he may have set himself on fire due to illness, but the cause of death will be known after the post-mortem examination and detailed probe," the official said.