In a shocking revelation, police uncovered that suicide notes supposedly written by two deceased men and one suicide attempt survivor were actually forged to obtain caste certificates, government jobs, and financial aid. The incident involved three separate cases from different communities in Latur district. On September 13, 2025, Shivaji Valmik Melle, 32, from Dadgi village in Nilanga taluka, died of electric shock while working on a stove. No note was found during the initial investigation, but later, a chit recovered from his shirt pocket mentioned that the Mahadev Koli community was being denied caste certificates, raising suspicions.
A day later, on September 14, Anil Baliram Rathod, 27, from Hanmantwadi Tanda in Chakur, also died of electric shock while drawing water using an electric pump. Although no suicide note was discovered at the scene, a man named Shivaji Fattu Jadhav later produced one, claiming Rathod wrote it, stating he was dying to demand a reservation for the Banjara community. Similarly, on August 26, Baliram Shripati Mule, 36, from Shindgi in Ahmadpur, attempted suicide by consuming poison. A relative later handed over a note allegedly written by Mule, claiming he took the step in support of the reservation.
Investigations into all three cases—at Ahmadpur, Nilanga, and Chakur police stations—revealed that the handwriting on the submitted notes did not match the actual handwriting of the deceased or the survivor. Chakur police then checked hospital CCTV footage and identified the person who wrote the fake note. Handwriting samples from all suspects were sent to the government forensic lab, which confirmed the signatures were forged. According to District Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe, the notes were written by Madhav Pitale, Sambhaji alias Dhanaji Mule, and Narendra Jakkalwad, among others, who colluded to stage the incidents for illegal reservation benefits.