Two youths die by suicide demanding Maratha quota

A 28-year-old man allegedly died by suicide in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Thursday seeking quota for the Maratha community, a police official said.

It was the second quota-related death in Marathwada during the day.

An official said Ganesh Kakasaheb Kuber hanged himself in his house in Apatgaon here and left behind a message on a blackboard that his last rites should not be performed till the Maratha community gets reservation in jobs and education.

He died between 3.30 pm and 3.45 pm, the official added.

Earlier in the day, one Krishna Kalyankar (25) ended his life in Akhada Balapur in Hingoli, also part of the state's Marathwada region.

Kalyankar hanged himself from a tree in his farm in the morning, an official said.

Kalyankar came to his farm at around 7 am and the police were informed about his suicide at 9.30 am, said the official.

"We found a suicide note in his pocket. In the note, it was written  'I am committing suicide due to Maratha reservation'," he told PTI.

Meanwhile, Maratha Kranti Morcha activist Sunil Kotkar, speaking to reporters in Apatgaon, sought the arrest of lawyer Gunaratna Sadavarte, a vociferous opponent of Maratha quota.

In the last few months, there have been multiple reports of Maratha community members committing suicide in different parts of the state in support of quota demand.

In a fresh around of agitation, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday morning started another hunger strike seeking reservation for his community in jobs and education under the OBC category.

Jarange (40) launched his indefinite fast at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district as the 40-day "deadline" he had set before the Maharashtra government to provide reservation to the community came to an end on October 24.

The activist had launched an indefinite fast in August-end and ended the protest on the 17th day after the state government assured to look into his demand.