Maharashtra: 24-Year-Old Dies By Suicide In Nanded; Note Reads 'Sacrifice For Maratha Reservation'

Maharashtra: A 24-year-old youth from the Maratha community, Shubham Pawar, took his own life, leaving behind a note asserting his sacrifice for the Maratha reservation cause. Pawar, who had returned to Nanded for the festival season, consumed poison, leaving his family in shock. His tragic death marked the fourth suicide related to the demand for Maratha reservations, following the recent protest led by Manoj Jarange.

Pawar, who had been working odd jobs in Mumbai, went missing after informing his family of his visit to his sister. Concerned family members reported his disappearance to the police. A search led them to Tamsa Road, where Pawar's lifeless body was discovered in the bushes. The police found a suicide note and an insecticide bottle beside him, underlining the desperation that drove him to this drastic step.

Chief Minister's Appeal

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed the government's commitment to providing job and education reservations for the Maratha community. In an anti-suicide message, he urged the youth to consider their families and loved ones before resorting to extreme measures.

"Today I want to appeal that two people from the Maratha community committed suicide, I'm also from the Maratha community and the son of a farmer, I express condolences to those who have committed suicide. Please think about your families before taking such steps," CM Shinde said.

He further said that his government stands with the Maratha community and is committed to providing reservations to the Maratha community, adding that giving reservations is the government's responsibility.

"It is the government's responsibility to give reservation to the Maratha community, and we are working towards it. With the Supreme Court admitting the state government's curative petition on the Maratha reservation, a big window for reservation has opened for the Maratha community," he added.

Series of Tragic Incidents Plague Maratha Community

Pawar's demise adds to a series of grim incidents within the Maratha community. Earlier, Sunil Kawale, a 45-year-old quota activist, was found dead in Mumbai, leaving behind a note echoing his sacrifice for the reservation issue. Similarly, Sudarshan Kamarikar and Kisan Mane ended their lives, their frustrations rooted in the government's perceived inaction on the quota issue.