Pune Police Detain Hadapsar Hospital Bomb Hoax Accused From Nagpur Railway Station – Probe Reveals Shocking Details

Pune: Pune Police have detained a 29-year-old man for allegedly planting a fake bomb at a super-speciality hospital in Hadapsar and creating panic among patients and staff.

The accused has been identified as Shivaji Rathod, a native of Solapur who was living in the Manjari area of Pune. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the accused allegedly carried out the act to extort money from the hospital management to cover his medical expenses.

About The Bomb…

The suspected bomb was found at Ushakiran Hospital in Hadapsar on Wednesday. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) rushed to the spot and defused the object. A case was later registered against an unknown person at Hadapsar Police Station.

According to police, the accused placed the fake bomb inside the hospital between 5 pm and 6 pm. He later returned home, shaved his beard at a nearby salon and changed his clothes before coming back to the area. At that time, he reportedly noticed increased police movement near the hospital.

Bomb Prepared Using Low-Cost Materials…

Investigators said the fake bomb was prepared using low-cost materials worth around Rs 400. The accused had allegedly purchased a digital watch online for Rs 160 and used a PVC pipe, wires and sticky tape to assemble the object.

Police got a major breakthrough after tracing an online payment of Rs 15 made by the accused to buy sticky tape from a local shop. CCTV footage from the shop and the mobile number linked to the payment helped investigators identify him.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Pune Police later reached the accused’s residence in Manjari. By then, he had already reached Pune railway station. During the investigation, police found that he had transferred Rs 3,000 digitally to a shopkeeper and collected cash in return before attempting to flee.

Accused Tried To Escape To Nepal…

Police said the accused had booked a train ticket to Howrah in Kolkata and was allegedly planning to travel further to Nepal, where his sister lives. He was eventually detained at Nagpur railway station.

Meanwhile, questions are being raised over the initial handling of the suspected bomb by the BDDS. In its first report, the squad reportedly stated that the object contained three gelatine sticks. However, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar later clarified that no explosive material or gelatine sticks were found inside the object.

The incident has also triggered discussion over whether standard operating procedures were followed. Sources said the ATS was allegedly not informed immediately about the incident and came to know about it through media reports. By the time ATS officials reached the hospital, the BDDS had already defused the object.

The ATS has advanced equipment for analysing explosive material, and the incident has led to criticism that Pune police acted in haste without taking the agency’s assistance.