Mumbai: 70-Year-Old Man Arrested For Hoax Threat Call To Police Alleging Armed Terrorists In Dongri

A day after the Mumbai police control room received a hoax threat about a few “terrorists (men and women) entering the Durga area in Dongri with rifles” and demanding police assistance, the police arrested a 70-year-old man.

Preliminary investigation and other details of case

As per preliminary investigation, the call was made from a PCO, following which the police deployed a bomb squad and sniffer dog teams but found nothing suspicious, determining the call as a hoax.  

It was found that the PCO booth from which the call was made was at Samant Bhai Nanji Marg next to Shafi Masjid. According to the booth manager, an elderly man with an injured leg made the call at the given time. The police started looking at CCTV camera footage and found the suspect. His image was circulated among informants, who revealed that he lived in Vikhroli’s Tagore Nagar, where a team was sent to arrest him. He was later identified as Bhagwan Bhapkar alias Nazrul Sheikh. 

Accused produced before court, given bail

Bhapkar was presented in court on Friday but he was given bail on a personal bond due to his age and ailing health. Mane also added that the accused seemed to be mentally disoriented and had no evil motive behind the hoax phone call. He has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.