THANE: A 24-year-old man from Thane, Hitesh Prakash Dhende, was arrested on Monday for allegedly posting a threatening message aimed at Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, on Instagram. The post quickly gained traction, going viral within hours of being shared.
The threat was reported to the Thane police, who swiftly initiated an investigation. The police traced Dhende to Ghati Pada in Wagle Estate, where he was taken into custody within 24 hours of the complaint being filed. The case against him includes charges under sections 133, 351, 352, and 356(2) of the Indian Penal Code.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prashant Kadam revealed that the incident followed a previous confrontation between Dhende and a security guard at Kalwa Hospital. According to reports, during a visit to the hospital, Dhende had an argument with the guard, who mentioned that he was closely associated with Shinde. This statement allegedly led Dhende to record and share the threatening video online.
Police have confirmed that the video was self-produced by the accused. Investigations are ongoing to determine if there were any additional motives behind the threat.
