Pro-reservation outfits of Maratha community burn a vehicle after a clash with police personnel in Kaygaon vil... Read More

AURANGABAD: A head constable from Osmanabad died while on duty on Tuesday at Kaigaon-Toka on the Aurangabad-Pune highway , where violent protests broke out following the death of a farmer on Monday.

In other incidents, a farmer from Deogaonrangari, in the Aurangabad rural area, was in critical condition after consuming poison while four others allegedly tried to end their lives. However, the police could not link all five suicide attempts to the Maratha reservation agitation. The cause of death of head constable Shyam Kadgaonkar (50), a Osmanabad resident, was not known as police were yet to receive the autopsy report.

Aurangabad district collector Uday Choudhari told TOI, "We have ordered a high-level probe into the death of the head constable. An appropriate case will be registered after we get the autopsy report." The farmer in critical condition, Jagannath Sonawane (50), is the father of a talathi with the Aurangabad revenue department. His farm is located next to the bridge where the protest was being held.

GMCH dean Kanan Yelikar said Sonawane has been put on ventilator. Though Sonawane's family has claimed that he attempted suicide in support of the Maratha reservation cause, Aurangabad SP Arti Singh said they were trying to confirm whether he was actually associated with the movement.

Another farmer from Deogaonrangari, Jayendra Sonawane (28), allegedly attempted suicide by jumping into a well near Shivna river. Confirming that the suicide bid was linked to the Maratha reservation issue, Choudhari said Sonawane was protesting on the bridge over the river before jumping into the dry well. He sustained multiple fractures in both legs.

Two men in Beed who had gone with a delegation to the tehsildar with their demands attempted to jump from the terrace. However, the police chased them and stopped them from jumping.

In Latur, a Maratha youth poured petrol on himself at Shivaji chowk.



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