Maratha Reservation: 'My Words Must No Go Waste' — Teen Girl Dies By Suicide, 2nd Case In A Week

A 14-year-old girl hanged herself in Maharashtra's Jalna over the Maratha quota row.

Teen girl died by suicide in Maharashtra's Jalna over Maratha reservation/Representational Image

Source : PTI File Photo

A 14-year-old girl in Maharashtra’s Jalna died by suicide reportedly over seeking reservation for the Maratha community, said a police official on Friday, according to news agency PTI. The girl hanged herself in the room of her house in Someshwar area on Thursday. She left a note in which she had purportedly written that the Maratha community must get a quota and that "my words must not go waste", the official said.

"The girl was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Police came to know about the incident on Friday morning," he added.

A report of an accidental death has been registered at Limbgaon police station and further probe was underway, he said. 

This is the second suicide case over the issue within a week after a 23-year-old man from Nanded city ended his life after consuming poison. A note found from his possession expressed his desperation for a government job. 

"This is a question of a government job for me. 'Ek Maratha, lakh Maratha'," the note read. The Bhagyanagar police station has filed an accidental death report in connection with the incident.

The state has been witnessing a series of protests by the members of Maratha community who are seeking reservation, led by activist Manoj Jarange who went on a hunger strike demanding the same. 

Following Jarange’s hunger strike, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government decided to give Kunbi caste certificates to those Marathas who could produce records of the erstwhile Hyderabad state where their ancestors were described as belonging to Kunbi community so that they can avail of OBC quota.

Constituting over 30% of Maharashtra's population, the Maratha community has been advocating reservations for its members in both educational institutions and government employment. Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange has set a new deadline for the state government to announce the reservation by December 24.