Mumbai Bomb Threats Trigger Panic Before Festival
Mumbai was placed on high alert after a series of Mumbai bomb threats were received on the official WhatsApp number of the city’s traffic police. The messages warned that 34 “human b*mbs” were planted across the city and that 14 Pakistani terrorists had entered India. The sender also threatened to use 400 kg of RDX in blasts. The alarming timing — just a day before Ganesh Visarjan — raised serious concerns, and the first response by police was to increase security across key locations. The first investigation confirmed the messages were linked to Mumbai bomb threats.
Who Is The Man Behind The Threats?
Police identified the accused as 51-year-old Ashwini Kumar, an astrologer originally from Patliputra, Bihar, living in Noida for the past five years. According to the FIR, Kumar sent the Mumbai bomb threats to frame his old friend Firoz, with whom he had an ongoing personal enmity. In 2023, Kumar had spent three months in jail after Firoz filed a case against him in Patna. Seeking revenge, he sent threatening WhatsApp messages in Firoz’s name.
How The Accused Was Arrested
Mumbai Police, in coordination with Noida Police, tracked Kumar using CCTV footage, intelligence, and surveillance. Seven mobile phones, three SIM cards, and multiple digital storage devices were recovered from him. A Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team arrested him from Noida’s Sector 79. Joint Commissioner CP Rajiv Narayan Mishra confirmed the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was also alerted about the Mumbai bomb threats.
Police Say Hoax, But Caution Remains
Although prima facie the threats appear to be a hoax, police registered a case under Section 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with sub-sections 2, 3, and 4. An officer said: “Traffic police have received such bomb threat messages in the past. There is no need to panic. Security has been beefed up, and citizens are urged to report suspicious activity.”
FAQs
Q1: Why were the Mumbai bomb threats sent?
A1: Police said the accused Ashwini Kumar sent the Mumbai bomb threats to frame his friend Firoz due to old enmity.
Q2: Who was arrested for the Mumbai bomb threats?
A2: A 51-year-old astrologer, Ashwini Kumar from Noida, was arrested for sending the hoax threats.
Q3: Did the Mumbai bomb threats affect Ganesh Visarjan?
A3: Security was heightened across Mumbai, but the festival continued peacefully as the threats turned out to be a hoax.
Q4: How did police trace the accused?
A4: Kumar was tracked through surveillance, CCTV footage, and intelligence before being arrested by a SWAT team.
