Pune, Dec 4 (IANS): A man jumped onto a funeral pyre and committed suicide in front of hundreds of shocked mourners in this Maharashtra city Wednesday afternoon, police said. The man who committed suicide had been mentally disturbed for a while, officials said.

Kerba G. Chavan, 55, was among mourners accompanying the body of Mukund Pardeshi to the crematorium in Dhankawdi area of Sahakar Nagar in the city, an official of Pune police said.

"According to people present at the cremation, Chavan suddenly climbed onto the platform near the burning pyre and jumped on it, suffering severe burns. His body was taken to Sassoon Hospital where he was declared dead," the official told IANS.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Chavan, an employee of Pune Municipal Corporation's water department, had been suffering from mental problems for some time.

Police said Pardeshi and Chavan were not related.

Efforts are underway to contact Chavan's family.