Nagpur: The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that a man has been arrested for giving life threat to State Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Speaking in Nagpur, Fadnavis said, “We’ve taken seriously the input about the threat to the life of CM Shinde. The person who gave a threat to CM on Sunday has been arrested. CM’s security is important, our focus is on it”, Devendra Fadnavis said as quoted by a news agency PTI.
According to another report, A 36-year-old man allegedly made a hoax call claiming that he had information about a conspiracy to kill Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The man was later arrested by the Lonavala Police on Sunday. The accused, identified as Avinash Waghmare, is a resident of Mumbai city.
The report said that as per the FIR registered at Lonavala Police Station, Avinash was on his way to Mumbai when he stopped at a dhaba in Lonavala. While staying at Saikrupa Hotel, the accused, who was under the influence of alcohol, was angry that the hotel manager had overcharged him for a bottle of water. At around 2:48 am on Sunday, the Lonavala Police Control Room received a call from an unidentified mobile number with claims of conspiracy to kill CM Shinde, the report added.
In view of the gravity of the situation, the police immediately traced the mobile number and identified the owner as a Mumbai resident. Soon, a Crime Branch team left for Mumbai and nabbed the accused from the Ghatkopar area on Sunday. During interrogation, the accused spilled the beans that he wanted to teach the hotel manager a lesson for overcharging him for a bottle of water.
The accused has been arrested and a case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Lonavala City Police Station.
Notably, the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s security has been beefed up following specific input about a threat to his life. The State Intelligence Department (SID) Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre confirmed the threat and said that they received specific input indicating a threat to the life of CM Shinde on Saturday evening.
“After specific information, we have taken necessary action and have increased the security of the chief minister,” the news agency quoted Dumbre as saying. Additional security has been provided to the CM, who enjoys a Z Plus category security cover, he said, adding that security has also been stepped up at Shinde’s private residence in Thane and the official residence ‘Varsha’ in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, CM Eknath Shinde said, “I don’t pay attention to it. Our Home Department and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis are capable and we trust them. I won’t be scared of such threats, nobody can stop me from working for the public. I will continue to work for them,” the news agency reported.
