Maharashtra: Shiv Sangram chief Vinayak Mete dies in car crash
Maharashtra's Shiv Sangram chief Vinayak Mete was reportedly killed in a car accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Khopoli on Sunday. Mete was on his way back from Pune in an SUV when the accident occurred. He was taken to a private hospital in Kamothe in Navi Mumbai. The driver of Mete was reportedly attempting to overtake a truck when the accident occurred.
- Vinayak Mete was an instrumental figure in fighting for the cause of Maratha reservation in government jobs, and his party is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.
- Mete's close aide, BJP MLA Bharati Lavhekar, stated that he was traveling to Mumbai for a meeting and then to his hometown of Beed for the Independence Day rally.
According to news agency PTI, a vehicle hit the ex-Member of the Legislative Council's (MLC) car near the Mandap tunnel, injuring all occupants. In the crash, a police officer, Ram Doble, assigned to his security, was seriously injured and is currently being treated. After learning of the accident, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis themselves arrived at the hospital.
Expressing grief, Maharastra's CM Eknath Shinde reportedly stated, "Vinayak Mete's death is shocking and painful. We have lost an honest warrior who fought for the cause of the Maratha community. He was coming to Mumbai to attend the meeting on Maratha community-related issues, called by me." "He remained committed to the cause....various social movements in the state till his last breath," he added.
Several Maharashtra politicians, across party lines, expressed their sorrow over Mete's death. According to state minister Chandrakant Patil, the "unfortunate" news was shocking to him. "He was genuinely following up the issue of the Maratha reservation." It's a huge loss for us and the Maratha community," he stated. "It's unfortunate to lose a leader like Mete," prominent Maharashtra Congress leader Ashok Chavan reportedly stated.
Sharad Pawar, the president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), also expressed his condolences on Mete's death. "His focus was more on social issues than political ones. He was more of a social activist than a political leader," he reportedly stated. Meanwhile, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Maharashtra's Governor tweeted: "The accidental death of Vinayak Mete is....shocking. His...contribution to the development of the marginalized sections....is great."
