"Today One Maratha Is Leaving": Man Commits Suicide Over Quota Demand

Hours after what looked chillingly like a farewell post on Facebook,a 35-year-old man who was part of protests demanding Maratha quota in jobs and education, was found dead on train tracks in Maharashtra. Pramod Jaisinh Hore allegedly jumped in front of a moving train in Aurangabad late last night.

The father of two had posted a message on his Facebook page and shared a message on WhatsApp on Sunday, saying "one Maratha is leaving", others should fight.

His Facebook post, in Marathi, read: "Chala aajek Maratha jaatoy,pan kahitari Maratha arakshanasathi kara, jaijijau-aapla Pramod Patil (today one Maratha is leaving... but do something for the Maratha reservation... )."

Sensing something wrong, his friends begged him not to end his life.

"Bhau ase naka karu (brother, don't do this)," said one friend. "What are you doing," wrote another friend. Many responded with alarm.

Pramod Hore was preparing for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission exams, the police said.

On learning of his suicide, a large number of people gathered outside his house.

His family members said they would not take away his body until the state government took a final decision on the demand for reservations for Marathas.

Pramod Hore used to run a shop in Mukundwadi and his wife was working as 'gram sevika' (a village-level functionary), the police said.

Three protesters have died in the past week during the agitation by the Maratha community, which is seeking 16 per cent quota in government jobs and education.

The community had earlier taken out silent marches across the state. Their latest protest took escalated and took a violent turn after a protester jumped into the river in Aurangabad and died.

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(with PTI inputs)