Mumbai, March 24 (PTI): Observing that the financial situation of teachers in government as well as private institutions in Maharashtra was dismal, the Shiv Sena today said the state government must conduct an enquiry into the incident of teacher suicide in Beed district.

According to local media reports, a group of teachers in Beed were protesting since March 16 for not being paid their dues from the last one year. When some of these teachers fell ill, they were taken to a nearby hospital.

Later, Hiraman Bhandane, one of the teachers in a school in Chausala tehsil of Beed allegedly committed suicide in the hospital premises.

"After farmers, teachers have started committing suicides. The government needs to take this very seriously. A state where teachers are treated shabbily can never develop. Why did Bhandane exactly commit suicide? What caused him to take this extreme step? Education Minister Vinod Tawde should immediately conduct an enquiry into this incident," the Sena said in an edit in mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"(Rural development minister) Pankaja Munde is from Beed district. Leader of Opposition the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde too is from that region. Inspite of this, neither the government nor the Opposition took up this issue. This is surprising," the Sena said.

The exploitation of teachers in government and private educational institutions is at its peak in the state, it claimed.

"The Beed incident has come to light. But what about hundreds of teachers who are being exploited in government, private, aided and unaided educational institutions? This is happening in Mumbai as well. The government needs to tighten the rope around such institutions' necks," the Sena said.

It alleged that Marathi medium schools are being shut by vested interests and a game is being played to finish off the lives of students studying in Marathi medium schools just the lives of mill workers were destroyed.