Man arrested for sending hoax bomb threat to trains

CHENNAI : A man aged 37 was arrested by Government Railway Police on Saturday for allegedly sending a hoax bomb threat to Jodhpur trains in the name of a banned terrorist organisation. He sent the hoax message only to make it ‘sensational’, police said.

A Iqbal Hussain of Royapettah, who distributes drinking water, used to alert police through text messages over a range of issues, including traffic and parking of vehicles. Driven by media coverage of Sabarimala issue and Amritsar train accident on Friday night, Hussain allegedly sent a message to police control room issuing a bomb threat.

The text message received by police help line reads as “Lakshkara - E Thoiba threaten letter in that letter anytime bomb blast in the Jodhpur train. Intelligence issue high alert. Dg COP IGPINT”. Acting on this, Egmore GRP police registered a case and subsequent inquiry led to the arrest of Hussain at Royapettah.

P K Ravi, Deputy Superintendent of Police, GRP, Chennai,  said Hussain used to forward text alerts to police personnel which he believed was mostly ignored. “After watching news channels around 9 pm, he sent a fake message to create panic among people and police. It is purely a hoax message,” he said. 

Earlier, around 9 am on Saturday, GRP, RPF and bomb detection and disposal squad  detained Bhagat Ki Kothi (in Rajasthan) - Mannargudi weekly express and conducted a search. About 700 passengers on board the train had to get off due to the search. The passengers’ luggage were also checked. The search lasted for two hours and 30 minutes, and no suspicious material was found.

While the search was being conducted, railway officials asked Chennai-bound passengers to travel by Gummidipoondi - Central suburban train.Later, the train reached Chennai Egmore around noon against its scheduled arrival at 9.50 am. After another search, the train left Egmore around 12.30 pm.