Maratha quota stir: Man ends life in Maharashtra's Nanded district
A 38-year-old man allegedly committed suicide in Maharashtra's Nanded district over the Maratha quota demand, police said today. Kacharu Kalyane hanged himself from the ceiling at his home in Dhabad village of Nanded, located around 570 km from Mumbai, when his family members were out for some work on July 29, an investigating officer in the case said.
Suicide note says ending life over Maratha quota demand
A suicide note was found near the body in which Kalyane purportedly mentioned that he was ending his life over the Maratha community's demand for reservation, the investigating officer said. Police was verifying the authenticity of the suicide note, the official said. The body was handed over to the family and the last rites were performed the same day, he added.
Five people have died so far in Maratha quota stir
With this incident, five people have so far died during the agitation by the Marathas for job quota over the last one week. A 35-year-old man had allegedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a moving train in Aurangabad on July 29. Two men had committed suicide over demand for the quota last week, while another died during violence by the agitators.
Marathas seeking 16% reservation in jobs, education
The politically influential Maratha community, constituting around 30% of Maharashtra's population, has been agitating to press its demand for 16% reservation in jobs and education. The community had earlier taken out silent marches across the state to highlight their demands, prominently for reservation.
Protests took a violent turn last week
Protesters, however, took a violent turn in their latest protests. They had resorted to violence and arson at separate places in Maharashtra yesterday. Four police officials were injured in stone pelting, while nearly 70 vehicles, including state and civic-run buses and those of police, were damaged or torched during the violence in Chakan near Pune, a police officer had said.
Mumbai to witness another mega rally on August 9
The Opposition Congress and the NCP yesterday approached Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao, urging him to direct the Devendra Fadnavis government to announce a decision on the reservation issue immediately. Maratha outfits said a mega-rally will be held in Mumbai on August-9 over the reservation demand.
