BENGALURU: In a bizarre incident, the ex-husband of a woman told the police that she was a suicide bomber, in a hoax bomb call threat to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). His three phone calls sent Bengaluru city police into a tizzy for a while on Sunday, as they were busy preparing the security plans in the wake of Ramzan festivities and BJP national president Amit Shah’s visit.
Accused Devendra Panchal, a resident of Kolkata, called police control room around 2.30pm from a mobile number and did not disclose his identity. “He told the on-duty cop Kuthubuddin that a Bangladeshi national woman had boarded a flight from Kolkata and she was a suicide bomber. She will be exploding the bomb around 6.30pm on reaching Bengaluru, he said. Devendra also gave us her name and phone number,” police sources said.
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and KIA officials were immediately alerted and security was beefed up. Sniffer dogs were also pressed into service. The police rushed to the spot and did a thorough check of the woman who landed with her 13-year-old son. Later they realised that it was a hoax call and decided to let her go.
During the probe, it was revealed that the woman had divorced Devendra Panchal following harassment. She was living separately in the city for past couple of years and worked in a private hotel. Devendra Panchal wanted to take revenge against his former wife for the divorce. The woman had recently gone to her hometown, Kolkata and was returning to Bengaluru. On getting to know of her plans, he made the threat call to fix her as a ‘suicide bomber’ from Bangladesh.
“Devendra Panchal called thrice within 15 minutes. He first called and introduced himself as a media person, later as a police official and his final call was as an informant. He, however, did not disclose his name. Though we suspected a hoax call, we did not want to take any chance,” police sources said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (north-east) Harsha P S said, “The accused would be nabbed soon”.