Farmer ends life by consuming poison; kin say he attended stir
AURANGABAD: A day after he consumed poison, a 55-year-old farmer from Aurangabad died on Wednesday. The family of the farmer, Jagannath Sonawane, said he had committed suicide in support of the Maratha agitation.this is the second death related to the pro-quota protest in the state in the past four days. Sonawane died at Aurangabad Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday at 2.30am, doctors said.
His family and local Maratha leaders claimed that he was part of the Maratha agitation that was held near a bridge at Deogaonrangari village, located 40-km away from Aurangabad.
However, the district administration and police refuted the family’s claim. This refusal may again create tension in the area.
Sonawane’s last rites were held under a heavy police protection. Around 100 villagers and a few leaders from Maratha Kranti Morcha attended the funeral in the village.
Sonawane owned two acres of farm land, which is being looked after by his younger son Bhagwan. His elder son Bharat, who was posted as a talathi at Vashi tehsil of Osmanabad district, was suspended over allegations of corruption in December 2016. He lives at Osmanabad with his family. Sarpanch Kakasaheb Sonawane and other villagers stressed that Sonawane participated in the protest, before leaving the spot to consume poison.
Maratha Kranti Morcha leaders seconded the sarpanch’s assertion. Vinod Patil, a coordinator of Maratha Kranti Morcha, demanded ₹50 lakh as compensation to the next of the kin.
Aarti Singh, superintendent of police (SP), Aurangabad, said, Jagannath Sonawane did not take part in the protest. “We video-graphed the entire protest and could not find him anywhere.
Moreover, he was found unconscious 2 km away from the agitation spot,” Singh said.
Uday Chaudhari, district collector, said, “We are yet to confirm that the deceased was part of the agitation,” the collector said. Deogaonrangari is a drought-affected village and is currently reeling with water crisis.