Protests have been ongoing for the past year on behalf of the Maratha community, demanding reservations. In a tragic turn of events, former corporator of Karmala, Balbhim Vishnu Rakhunde (80), was found dead at his residence, having committed suicide by hanging. This incident came to light on Friday morning around seven o'clock. Before taking this drastic step, he left a note expressing his grievances. Rakhunde was the taluka president of the Maratha Federation and had served as a corporator in Karmala for ten years.
Rakhunde was actively involved in the Maratha reservation movement, which has seen many youths in the state resorting to extreme measures due to a lack of concrete decisions regarding their demands. In his note, he mentioned that he had no complaints and expressed support for Manoj Jarange in the ongoing fight for Maratha reservation.
Upon discovering the body, Karmala Police quickly arrived at the scene, took the necessary actions, and sent Rakhunde's body to Karmala Upazila Hospital for an autopsy. He is survived by three sons, one daughter, a daughter-in-law, and several grandchildren.