Maharashtra farmer Roshan Sadashiv Kude, from Chandrapur, was forced to illegally sell his kidney for Rs 8 lakh in Cambodia in October 2024, according to a report by India Today.
This desperate act followed a loan of Rs 1 lakh that ballooned to Rs 74 lakh due to predatory, unlawful interest from private lenders.
Kude faced continuous exploitation and abuse, leading him to sell all his assets. After his official complaint, police registered a case and arrested six accused moneylenders, Kishore Bawankule, Manish Kalbande, and others, for offences including extortion and criminal conspiracy.
The police investigation is actively working to dismantle the wider illegal organ trafficking and usurious lending network.
Spiral into Unlawful Debt
Kude’s plight began with failed crops and a struggling dairy business in 2021. Unable to secure formal credit, the marginal farmer borrowed Rs 1 lakh from multiple private moneylenders to save his failing enterprise. Tragically, his cows died and the debt quickly became unmanageable.
The lenders allegedly charged exorbitant daily interest, rapidly transforming the Rs 1 lakh principal into a crushing liability of Rs 74 lakh.
Facing alleged threats, harassment and abuse, Kude exhausted all legal means of repayment, including selling his four acres of land, a tractor and valuable household items. The pressure only intensified, pushing him toward an unthinkable decision.
Maharashtra Farmer Sells Kidney
When conventional methods failed, one of the accused moneylenders allegedly advised Kude to sell his kidney to settle the debt. Following this advice, Kude was contacted by an agent and trafficked abroad, as per reports.
He was sent to Kolkata for tests and subsequently flown to Cambodia, where the illegal organ removal surgery took place on 14 October 2024. He claims to have received only Rs 8 lakh for his organ, which barely made a dent in his staggering liability.
“I sold my farmland, tractor, two two-wheelers, borrowed money from relatives, and even sold gold, but they told me to sell my kidney, and I finally sold it for Rs 8 lakh, and for the past four months I have been seeking justice but have not received any,” India Today quoted Kude.
After initial reports of inaction, the Brahmapuri police, under the supervision of Chandrapur SP, registered an offence and took all six named accused moneylenders into custody for their predatory practices.
Maharashtra Farmer Suicide
The plight of farmers in Maharashtra is deeply concerning. Only a few days ago, Maharashtra minister Makarand Jadhav informed the legislative council that the state recorded 781 farmer suicides in just the first nine months of 2025, according to a report by TOI.
These deaths, primarily concentrated in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions, were attributed to mounting loans, crop failures, and excessive rainfall. This official data starkly validates the environment of despair and debt that pushed Kude to sell his kidney.
The numbers confirm that his alleged exploitation was not an isolated incident, but a symptom of systemic distress and the failure to regulate illegal, predatory moneylenders who prey on vulnerable farmers.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This tragic story is a scathing indictment of the systemic failures that leave our farmers vulnerable to illegal moneylending mafias. Roshan Sadashiv Kude’s sacrifice of his organ underscores the urgent need for accessible, regulated financial support in rural India.
While we applaud the police’s prompt action in arresting the perpetrators, justice must go further to dismantle the entire cross-border organ trafficking and debt nexus.
Our commitment to empathy and social change demands robust legislation to protect the most vulnerable. We must create a safety net that prevents anyone from having to make such a heartbreaking choice between their body and their financial freedom.
