A man has been arrested in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly issuing bomb threats in Mumbai, claiming the city would be “shaken” by several human bombs planted across the city.
The man has been identified as 51-year-old Ashwini Kumar from Patliputra, Bihar. Police said he worked as an astrologer and had been living in Noida for the past five years. His phone and SIM card have been seized, and he is being taken to Mumbai.
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On Friday, security was beefed up across Maharashtra after the Mumbai Traffic Police received a bomb threat message on its WhatsApp number, claiming multiple attacks across the city ahead of Ganesh Visarjan.
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According to the police, the messenger claimed that 34 vehicles carrying 400 kilograms of RDX and ‘human bombs’ would shake the entire city of Mumbai.
The Mumbai Police said, “Traffic Police in Mumbai received threats over their official WhatsApp number. In the threat, a claim has been made that 34 ‘human bombs’ have been planted in 34 vehicles across the city and the blast will shake entire Mumbai. The organisation, claiming to be ‘Lashkar-e-Jihadi’, says that 14 Pakistani terrorists have entered India. The threat message further states that 400 kgs of RDX will be used in the blast. Mumbai Police is alert and security across the state has been enhanced. All angles of the threat are being investigated.”
The threat also warned that 400 kilograms of RDX would be used in the explosion, which could take many lives.
Following the message, Mumbai Police heightened security across the city and launched an investigation into the threat from all possible angles.
Police said, “The threat message further states that 400 kgs of RDX will be used in the blast. Mumbai Police is alert, and security across the state has been enhanced. All angles of the threat are being investigated.”
Dispute With Friend Led To Bomb Threat
As per the FIR, Ashwini sent the threatening WhatsApp message to Mumbai Traffic Police in an attempt to “frame” his friend Firoz.
Back in 2023, Ashwini had spent three months in jail after being booked in a case filed by Firoz in Phulwari Sharif, Patna. Seeking revenge, he allegedly issued the bomb threat using Firoz’s name.