Mumbai: Bomb hoax call at Byculla station, caller quizzed

Mumbai: An anonymous bomb threat on early Tuesday morning sparked off a frantic search at the Byculla railway station. Fortunately, nothing suspicious was found. The Government Railway Police (GRP) then traced the caller, who is currently being questioned.

According to GRP officials, the Mumbai police control room received a call at around 1.55 am on Tuesday where the caller told the cops that bombs had been placed at all the four platforms of Byculla station which would go off at 3:50 am.

“The information was relayed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) GRP and the entire police machinery swung into action. The on-duty personnel at Byculla were alerted and assistance was requested from the Byculla and Agripada police station.

Similarly, two teams of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), each with a sniffer dog, were pressed into service,” said senior police inspector Mehboob Inamdar, CSMT GRP.

An exhaustive search was launched that continued all night. However, nothing suspicious was found, after which the station was declared safe. Subsequently, an offence of giving false information and spreading rumours was registered against unknown persons.

The local Crime Branch (LCB) of GRP traced the details of the mobile number from which the call had been received and tracked the suspect, identified as Razzak Khan, 45. He was picked up from his residence in Sonapur, Bhandup on Wednesday.

“Khan told the GRP that his phone was stolen and that he did not make the hoax call. However, we are verifying his claims. No arrest has been made as yet,” said police inspector Arshuddin Shaikh, LCB, GRP.

Published on: Thursday, August 11, 2022, 09:09 AM IST