Another man commits suicide over Maratha reservation

Mumbai: Amid the violent wave of Maratha agitation, another man committed suicide in Nanded district over the Maratha quota demand, police said on Tuesday.
So far, five people have died during the agitation by Marathas for job quota over the last one week.

An investigating officer in the case said, Kacharu Kalyane (38) allegedly hanged himself from the ceiling at his home in Dhabad village of Nanded, located around 570 km from Mumbai.

A suicide note was recovered near the body stated that Kalyane purportedly mentioned that he was ended his life over the Maratha community’s demand for reservation.

A 35-year-old man had allegedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a moving train in Aurangabad on 29 July over the Maratha quota demand, police said.

Prior to this, two men had committed suicide over demand for the quota last week, while another died during violence by the agitators. The politically influential Maratha community, constituting around 30 percent of the state’s population, has been agitating to press its demand for reservation in jobs and education.

The community had earlier taken out silent marches across the state to highlight their demands, prominently for reservation. However, their latest round of agitation has taken a violent turn.

Protesters had resorted to violence and arson at separate places in Maharashtra on Monday. 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.

Amid the continuing agitation, Maratha outfits announced a mega rally in Mumbai on August 9 in support of their quota demand.