Farmer tries to barge in Maha CM's home, held and released

Security officials went into a tizzy when a farmer along with his minor daughter attempted to break security and barge inside 'Matoshri', the private residence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray here on Sunday morning, according to sources.

The farmer - identified as one Deshmukh - had come from Panvel in Raigad district and armed with some filed papers, tried to force his way onto the high-security road outside 'Matoshri', in suburban Bandra east.

When Deshmukh and his 8-year old daughter were stopped by a police team, he protested and shouted that he wanted to meet the Chief Minister, and demanded to know whether the police would "shoot them".

However, the police bundled them into a waiting van to take them to the police station.

When news of the commotion percolated to 'Matoshri', Thackeray and Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray immediately directed the police to release Deshmukh and his daughter forthwith and get the details of their grievances.

Accordingly, the police set free Deshmukh and his daughter. He claimed to mediapersons that he was burdened by farming debts since the past eight years and wanted to highlight his plight to the Chief Minister.

Thackeray, who was sworn-in as the chief minister on November 28, continues to live at his private home and is expected to shift to the CM's official bungalow 'Varsha' at Malabar Hill in south Mumbai within a few weeks, according to sources.IANS