Man, who claimed he would ‘die’ if Pankaja Munde loses Lok Sabha election, dies in bus mishap

BJP's Pankaja Munde lost the Beed seat to Congress leader Bajrang Sonawane by 6,553 votes in a very close contest.

A 38-year-old man, who had made a video claiming that he would be “no more” if BJP leader Pankaja Munde lost the Lok Sabha election from Maharashtra's Beed district, died after being crushed under a bus on Friday night. The incident took place on the Ahmedpur-Andhori road near Borgaon Pati at around 9 pm.

Man, who claimed he would ‘die’ if Pankaja Munde loses Lok Sabha election, dies in bus mishap(HT file photo)

The police are suspecting it may be a case of death by suicide.

The victim, identified as Sachin Kondiba Munde, who was a truck driver hailing from Yestar in Latur's Ahmedpur, had released the threatening video before the Lok Sabha election results. “Sachin will be no more if Pankaja Munde loses the poll,” he said in the video.

In the Lok Sabha election, BJP's Pankaja Munde lost the Beed seat to Congress leader Bajrang Sonawane by 6,553 votes in a very close contest. Following this, the victim was depressed and had become silent, his family said, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested the bus driver, and an investigation is underway.

“A probe is underway to find out if it was an accident or a case of suicide. It happened when the Yalderwadi night halt bus stopped at Borgaon Pati. Sachin was standing behind the bus and was crushed to death when it reversed,” the Kingaon police station official said, as quoted by PTI.

Along with this, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus that crushed Munde has been confiscated as part of the probe.

Another incident of suspected death by suicide by a Pankaja Munde supporter was reported on Sunday morning in Beed, a report by The Times of India said. According to the report, the man, identified as Pandurang Sonawane, allegedly died by suicide after the BJP leader lost the Beed seat.

The police also recovered a note in which the 30-year-old victim said that he was ending his life as he “could not bear” the defeat of his leader, the report added.

(With inputs from PTI)