MUMBAI: An unemployed man, frustrated after failing the state public service commission examination, attempted suicide here at the state administrative headquarters on Wednesday. While the police have detained the man, agriculture minister Pandurang Phundkar has ordered rechecking of his answer sheets.
Avinash Shete (25), a resident of Nevase in Ahmednagar district, tried to commit suicide outside the Mantralaya gate by pouring kerosene. Fortunately the security guard nabbed him before he could do anything else, said police officer from the Marine Drive police station where Shete has been detained.
Shete had appeared for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination in 2013 for the post of Assistant Agriculture Officer, which he failed to clear. Since then he had been trying to meet officers at the state administrative headquarters urging them for rechecking his answer sheets, the police officials said adding that a kerosene can and a matchbox has been recovered from him.
This is the third such attempt at the Mantralaya – the state administrative headquarters – in past few days. Last year, in the month of November, Dnyaneshwar Salve – a youth from Osmanabad, had climbed the parapet wall at the top floor of the building and threatened to jump down while demanding a meeting with agriculture minister; while last month, Dharma Patil – an octogenarian farmer from Dhule district had consumed poison at the Mantralaya after failure to resolve his objections regarding compensation for his land acquired for a power project.
Meanwhile, agriculture minister Pandurang Phundkar met Shete and his father in the evening and assured him that there would be a rechecking of his answer sheets. Directives in this regard have been given to the concerned officials, he said.