Three suicides witnessed in Beed after defeat of BJP candidate Pankaja Munde

New Delhi, June 15

A strange series of suicides were witnessed in Beed district of Maharashtra reportedly after the defeat of BJP candidate Pankaja Munde in Maharashtra. 

The first victim identified as Pandurang Sonawane (30) ended his life, devastated by the defeat of Munde. She lost to Bajrang Sonavane of the NCP by a narrow margin of just over 6,000 votes. 

Sonawane went to the farm early in the morning on June 9 and hanged himself. His suicide note read, 'My name is Pandurang Sonawane. My Pankaja Munde Tai Saheb was defeated in the elections, I cannot bear it, and therefore I am committing suicide.'"

The victim's family had informed police that after the defeat, Pandurang was behaving strangely, he was also admitted to the hospital, but doctors couldn't determine what was wrong. He kept talking about a party meeting and that Pankaja Tai was coming to see him. 

Three suicides have been reported in connection with Pankaja Munde’s electoral loss—two in Beed district and one in Latur district. 

In another tragic case, Rameshwar Kakde (22), a mechanical engineering student from Jarud taluka, also took his own life. Depressed over the lack of Maratha reservation benefits, he saw his OBC classmates securing jobs while he struggled without a caste certificate. Jarud, a village with a 90 percent Maratha population, has seen none of its residents receive the Kunbi certificate, critical for reservation benefits.

After the series of suicides, Pankaja Munde has taken to social media to urge her supporters not to take such drastic actions. The Beed district also witnessed protests since the election results were announced demanding Maratha reservations and OBC seats to Munde.