Protest Turns Drastic at Maharashtra Secretariat

A protest at the Maharashtra secretariat escalated when Vijay Sashte, 41, attempted suicide but was saved by a safety net. He protested against alleged illegal land sales and police harassment. He is now under medical care and a non-cognisable case has been registered against him.

High tension marked the Maharashtra secretariat on Tuesday afternoon when a 41-year-old protester, Vijay Sashte, attempted suicide by leaping from the seventh floor onto a safety net of the high-security building. He was injured and hospitalized following the incident.

The incident highlighted a longstanding grievance involving alleged forgery in the illegal sale of grazing land in Pune. Sashte, originally from Pune, claimed widespread administrative neglect and police harassment, accusing local officials of being uncooperative for six years.

The police lodged a non-cognisable case against Sashte under Section 266 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after the drama unfolded. Authorities reported that the safety net on the second floor successfully averted a tragedy, and Sashte is recovering from injuries at St George's Hospital.