Two Maratha quota protesters die of heart attacks during Mumbai march, agitation turns tense

This comes just two days after 40-year-old activist Satish Deshmukh from Beed district, who was part of Jarange’s convoy to Mumbai, also died of a heart attack near Junnar in Pune district.

The Maratha quota agitation in Maharashtra witnessed another tragedy on Saturday when 32-year-old Vijaykumar Chandrakant Ghogre, a resident of Takalgaon in Latur district, died of a heart attack in Mumbai.

Police said Ghogre, who had travelled with 40 others in two tempos to join the ongoing protest at Azad Maidan, complained of severe chest pain while walking in the Pydhonie area in the afternoon. He was rushed to the government-run J J Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Since protest leader Manoj Jarange began his indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Friday, at least 15 participants have required medical attention and were referred to J J Hospital, officials confirmed to PTI.

Another activist died en route to Mumbai

This comes just two days after 40-year-old activist Satish Deshmukh from Beed district, who was part of Jarange’s convoy to Mumbai, also died of a heart attack near Junnar in Pune district.

According to Pune Rural Police, as cited by PTI, Deshmukh experienced chest pain near Lenyadri in Junnar tehsil on Thursday morning. He was rushed to a hospital in Narayangaon, but doctors there too declared him dead on arrival.

Deshmukh had been accompanying Jarange’s supporters to Mumbai, where the Maratha leader had announced he would begin his hunger strike from August 29 to press for reservation in education and jobs.

Jarange blames government’s indifference

Reacting to the back-to-back deaths, Jarange expressed grief and anger. “It is unfortunate that one of our colleagues passed away. Had the government been considerate of our demands, this situation would not have occurred,” he said, reiterating that the community’s patience was running thin.

Jarange launched his march towards Mumbai on Wednesday from Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, the epicentre of the Maratha quota protests. On Thursday morning, the procession halted at Shivneri Fort, birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, where he offered tributes before resuming the journey with hundreds of supporters.