BHATKAL: A person, who allegedly threatened to blast the Bhatkal Town police station in a letter, has been arrested by Chennai police, while a team of Bhatkal police is being dispatched to secure his custody. On December 25, a postcard arrived at the Bhatkal town police station warning that “it will be bombed’’. The police became alert considering the sensitivity of the town.
The postcard, according to an official, was written in Urdu and English. “Bhatkal, being a very sensitive place, we decided not to disclose about the letter, but quietly began a probe,” he tol d Express. The letter read, “Next target Happy New Year 2023.
The station will be bombed on January 1, 2023.” A similar letter had also reached Chennai police. Getting into action immediately, a Chennai police team arrested him. The arrest has led to a startling revelation that the culprit had stolen a laptop and had created this bomb scare to divert the attention of the police.
“He stole a laptop from a shop and tried to get its Id. When he could not, he wrote a letter using the phone number of the store owner, from where he stole the hardware,” the police said. The Chennai police team used the number and traced the store owner who turned out to be a victim. His number was misused by the miscreant. On further inquiry, the police arrested Hanumanthappa, a resident of Hospet. The Bhatkal police, according to Additional SP of Uttara Kannada C T Jaykumar, has sought his body warrant to investigate the reason for targeting Bhatkal.