Panic gripped the area outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Bhavan) after a farmer attempted a dramatic protest by pouring a petrol-like liquid over himself amid tight police security.
The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the farmer, who had arrived from Latur district, doused himself with what appeared to be petrol, triggering immediate action from the police personnel present at the spot. He was quickly restrained and taken to the Marine Drive Police Station.
During the investigation, the farmer was identified as Jyotiram Sahebrao Chauhan, a resident of Latur. In a surprising revelation, the liquid initially believed to be petrol turned out to be Rasna, a soft drink concentrate commonly consumed to beat the heat.
According to police sources, Chauhan stated that he had been demanding the construction of a road leading to his agricultural land. The proposal for the road had already received approval from Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and the local administration was prepared to begin work. However, the project was reportedly stalled due to opposition from an influential person in the village.
Frustrated by the delay, Chauhan reached Vidhan Bhavan to stage a protest and poured the Rasna on himself to draw attention, leading bystanders to believe he was attempting self-immolation.
The Marine Drive Police have informed the state government and concerned departments about the incident. Meanwhile, sources indicate that the Latur administration is now preparing to take the farmer’s demand more seriously in the wake of the episode.