CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Food and civil supplies minister on Friday cancelled his scheduled programmes and is reaching Latur district to meet and extend condolences to the family of a 35-year-old autorickshaw driver who allegedly ended his life by jumping into the Manjra river on Wednesday. His family has claimed that he feared that the Other Backward Class (OBC) quota may come to an end, the police said.
The deceased has been identified as Bharat Mahadev Karad, a resident of Wangdari village in Renapur taluka. He is survived by his mother, wife, three daughters, and a son, the police said.
His family along with some OBC activists told newsmen on Thursday that Bharat had been actively participating in OBC reservation protests for the past few years. They claimed that Bharat took the extreme step to protest the government’s decision to include the Maratha community under the OBC category by recognising them as ‘Kunbis’ through the Hyderabad Gazette related GR passed a few days back.
Latur superintendent of police Amol Tambe told TOI, "Witnesses told us that Bharat removed his clothes before jumping in the river. His clothes were found on the bank of the river."
The officer said that Bharat's family gave us a note purportedly written by him. "We are sending it to forensic experts for verification and analysis of handwriting, following which we will be in a position to draw a conclusion," said Tambe.
An officer from Renapur police station said that the note stated that he (Bharat) participated in the OBC reservation agitation. Still, the government issued a GR against OBCs. Therefore, he was ending his life. In the note, it has been written that after his sacrifice, at least the community should get justice.
Bharat along with three of his friends went to Manjra river on Wednesday around 4 pm.
The preliminary probe has revealed that one of his friends too jumped to save him, but he too fell unconscious, said police.
The other two friends present on the spot, with help of the locals, managed to rescue the second friend but couldn't save Bharat, said an officer from Renapur police station.
Autopsy on the deceased was performed on Thursday following which his funeral was held in his village. A large number of residents and OBC activists gathered for the last rites, raising slogans.
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