When India was still under a strict coronavirus lockdown, I traveled to my home state Punjab. I went to see my parents, but what I saw instead was deeply disturbing https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/world/asia/india-coronavirus-farmer-suicides-lockdown.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/0... Follow this thread to know more, or immerse yourself in the piece below.

At first glance, Punjab& #39;s lush green fields will have you believe that all& #39;s going well. It& #39;s not.

I met and spoke with more than a dozen farmers, and most of them had horrifying tales. This boy’s father killed himself by putting his head onto a railway track when the lockdown got extended a third time https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/world/asia/india-coronavirus-farmer-suicides-lockdown.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/0...

In Punjab, and much of rural India, farmer suicides are a long running tragedy. But experts say the pandemic (and the government’s handling of it) has now multiplied suffering many folds https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/world/asia/india-coronavirus-farmer-suicides-lockdown.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/0...

This man, Leela Singh, hung himself from a neem tree (Indian lilac) in his own rice farm because he felt he couldn’t save it anymore. They were already knee deep in debt.

Scarred by death and misery, a young generation of Punjabis is looking to leave rural life behind. Read along, I promise this one is worth your time https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/world/asia/india-coronavirus-farmer-suicides-lockdown.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/0... Expert edits and mentoring by @photojournalism, @gettleman, @laurettaland and @adriennecarter.