Mumbai: In the second such instance in two months, the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital at Girgaum received two calls on Wednesday, with the caller threatening to blow up the hospital and harm the family of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani.
The police have launched a probe and are trying to trace the culprit. They have also tightened security at the hospital and at the Ambani residence in south Mumbai.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Neelotpal, “A call was received on the landline number of Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital at 12:57pm on Wednesday from an unknown number. The caller threatened to blow up the hospital and issued threats against some members of the Ambani family. An offence was registered at the DB Marg police station.”
The second call was received at 5pm. “The calls were made from a mobile number to the hospital’s landline,” an officer said. “The duration of the first call was over four minutes. The caller threatened to blow up the hospital and the residence of the Ambani family.”
A bomb disposal squad and the dog squad carried out searches at the hospital and the Ambani residence and security was beefed up at both places.
Three teams have been formed to investigate the case. The crime branch is conducting its own probe.
Dr Tarang Gianchandani, CEO, HN Reliance Hospital, said, “We received two threat calls from the same person at 1pm and 5pm. Earlier he threatened our Chairman, Mukesh Ambani, and his family and threatened to blow up Antilia. However, in another call, he threatened to blow up the hospital along with Ambani's residence. We have faith in Mumbai Police and they will do the right thing."
On Aug 15, from 10:30am till 12:04pm, nine threat calls were received on the landline number of the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital. The caller issued threats to Mr Ambani. A case of criminal intimidation was registered at the time. A 56-year-old Borivali resident was later arrested in the case.
