Mumbai: 45-year-old Maratha quota activist allegedly commits suicide; Leaves a note

In the early hours of Thursday, a 45-year-old Maratha quota activist allegedly committed suicide in Bandra leaving behind a suicide note in which he urged community members to fight for the cause, a police official said.

A resident of Chikangaon in Ambad tehsil of Jalna district, Sunil Kawale was found hanging from pole number 4 of a flyover between Bandra and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the western part of the metropolis. The official said he hanged himself by tying himself to the electricity pole on the flyover and then jumped off.

Also Read: Mumbai: Father Brutally Murders Daughter, Son-In-Law For Marrying Against His Wishes

A kin told PTI that around 12:45 am Kawale had called sometime before he ended his life, however, a conversation could not take place due to wind disturbance.

"I kept the phone by my side and went to sleep. When I woke up and saw Kawale's mobile status, I called back. However, the call was answered by a policeman who told me what had happened and asked me to reach Sion Hospital," he said.

Meanwhile, Kawale's son Nagesh told PTI that his father committed suicide for the cause of Maratha reservation.

Also Read: Cocaine Worth INR 70 Cr Seized In Series Of Cases In Mumbai

"My father was fearless. He was fighting for Maratha reservation for the last few years. I came to know about his suicide from his mobile phone status and then we came to the (Sion) hospital," an emotional Nagesh said.

The police informed that a suicide note was found near his body in which he mentioned that he was ending his life for the sake of Maratha reservation.

"The Maratha community will get reservation on October 24. We should gather and should focus only on Maratha reservation," Kawale mentioned in the note.

"If we sit on hunger strike for reservation for four-five days, nobody dies. So all should come to Mumbai on October 24," he urged community members in the note.

Kawale was an active member of the Maratha Kranti Morcha, which had been seeking a quota for the community, and had attended all 58 rallies organised over this demand, as per the police. Kherwadi police sent the body for post mortem at civic-run Sion hospital at around 1:30 am, the official added.