Man detained for suicide bid at Maratha reservation march in Buldhana

A 40-year-old man tried to jump from the gallery of a stadium in a bid to commit suicide when a pro-Maratha reservation march was being organised in eastern Maharashtra's Buldhana district on Wednesday, police said.

The protester, Sambhaji Bhakre, a resident of Kandari village in Buldhana district, around 450km from Mumbai, was detained, they said.

The incident occurred at around 12.30 pm at Borakhedi where members of the Maratha community had gathered in a stadium to take out a march in support of their demand for reservation in government jobs and educational institutes, an official said.

As community members were getting ready for the march, 40-year-old Bhakre tried to jump from the gallery of the stadium, he said.

Police personnel present on the spot prevented him from jumping off the gallery and took him into custody, said the official.

The Maratha reservation issue has been reignited after quota activist Manoj Jarange launched an indefinite hunger strike on August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in central Maharashtra's Jalna district in support of the affirmative action for his community members.

In the last few days, several protests in support of Maratha reservation have been staged in different parts of the state.