55-year-old Jagannath Sonavane had consumed poison during protests on Tuesday.
The violent phase of Maratha agitation witnessed one more death as 55-year-old Jagannath Sonavane on Tuesday died in the wee hours of Wednesday in Aurangabad, taking the death toll to three including a cop.
Sonavane had consumed poison on Tuesday to support the Maratha agitation following the death of another protester on Monday. He was rushed to a government hospital where he breathed his last today.
A farmer by profession, Sonavane was a native of Deogaon Rangari village, nearly 35 kilometer from Aurangabad city. Sonavane had participated in the protest to support the call of Maharashtra Bandh given by Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) on Tuesday following the death of another protester Kakasaheb Shinde in the same district.
According to Aurangabad police, Sonavane's health continued to deteriorate even after he was undergoing treatment. "Sonavane was immediately taken to hospital but by that time the poison had started spreading the body and he died in the hospital at around 2.05 am," a senior officer from Aurangabad police said.
Sonavane is survived by a wife and two sons. He will be cremated at his native place in Deogaon Rangari where large crowd is expected to gather. Police has deployed additional force in the village to make sure no violence takes place.
Mea,nwhile another protester Jayant Sonavane who had jumped into the river in support of the agitation continued to battle for life in the hospital. According to police, he is responding to the treatment.
Apart from protesters, constable Shyam Padgaonkar who was deployed for bandobast in Shinde's village in Aurangabad died of cardiac arrest.
The series of protesters trying to end their lives started when Kakasaheb Sha Shinde, native of Kaygaon, jumped into the Godavari river and died on Monday. Shinde's death created massive outrage among Maratha organisations and spontaneous Maharashtra bandh was called by some organisations on Tuesday which witnessed incidents of violence in various districts. Even the Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire who had gone to attend the last rites of Shinde was heckled by the angry mob and police had to take him out of the place in heavy protection.
The agitators have given a call of bandh even on Wednesday and effect of it is being seen in Mumbai, Thane and other places.
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