Human bombs in 34 cars: Mumbai Police on high alert after threat message
Mumbai Police on Friday said the force has been put on high alert after receiving a threat message warning of bomb explosions across the city on Anant Chaturdashi, September 6.
The message, sent to the official WhatsApp number of the traffic police, claimed that human bombs had been planted in 34 vehicles in Mumbai and that the city would be “shaken” after the blasts.
The sender identified themselves as “Lashkar-e-Jihadi” and alleged that 14 Pakistani terrorists had entered India. The threat also claimed that 400 kg of RDX would be detonated, potentially killing “1 crore people.”
A senior Mumbai police officer said the threat appears to be a hoax, but security has been heightened across the city.
Authorities are investigating the matter from all angles and have launched a search for the person behind the message, officials said.
Earlier this week, a 43-year-old man was arrested for allegedly making a bomb threat call about blowing up a railway station in Thane, which later turned out to be a hoax after a thorough search.
The accused, Rupesh Madhukar Ranpise, called the police helpline number around 4 pm on September 1 and informed that he had planted a bomb at Kalwa railway station. The railway police launched a search and caught the accused, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
In the last week of July, the Mumbai Police received another bomb threat call warning of an explosion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, triggering a massive search operation and heightened security measures. The calls were made from three different numbers, but after an hours-long search, officials confirmed that nothing suspicious was found.
