September 16, 2025

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar woke up to a heart-breaking story from Beed district. A 48-year-old daily-wage labourer named Gorakh Devadkar was found dead at his house on Saturday night, leaving his family shattered. The reason? Fear and worry over the recent Sept 2 government resolution on Maratha quota which reportedly affected OBC reservation. Gorakh Devadkar, from Nathapur, was found hanging from a metal rod. Left behind were his wife and five daughters, two of whom are unmarried. His daughter Manisha opened her heart to reporters, saying, "I, along with my younger sister, am preparing for police recruitment. So far, I have had two unsuccessful attempts. My father was worried that I may not get selected anymore as the OBC quota has shrunk further now." This shows how deeply the reservation issue has impacted families. Devadkar's fear wasn’t just personal; it was about the future of his daughters and the entire OBC community. Pimpalner police confirmed no suicide note was found but said they are looking into the matter carefully. Sub-inspector Atmaram Garje said, "As per the family's statement, Devadkar took the extreme step as he was upset about his daughters not getting police jobs due to the alleged split in the OBC quota. The post-mortem was performed, and the body was handed over to the family." They were still processing the case of accidental death as of Sunday evening. This tragic case is sadly not alone. On Sept 11, Bharat Karad, a 35-year-old from Renapur taluka in Latur district, reportedly jumped into the Manjra river to protest the Maratha quota GR. He left a note that said he felt the "snatching of OBC reservation" was stealing away hope from the younger generation. OBC activist Balasaheb Sanap, visiting Devadkar’s family, spoke strongly. He said, "While appeasing the Maratha community, state govt has failed to protect the interests of the OBC community. State govt is responsible for these deaths and must take corrective measures at the earliest by protecting OBC reservation." Sanap is the head of the social organisation Bhagwan Mahasangh. The issue of reservation cuts has now turned into a serious social crisis. Families like Devadkar’s are suffering quietly but deeply. Will the government listen before more tragic losses happen? The clock is ticking, and the pressure is rising.

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Tags: Obc reservation, Maratha quota, Suicide, Beed district, Reservation protest, Government resolution,