Police pick up 2 men as KIA gets 'threat message'

Police on Sunday picked up two men in Channapatna in Ramanagar district a day after the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) received a text message that warned of a terrorist attack.

According to the International Airport police, around 9.30 pm on Saturday, the terminal manager at the KIA received a message on his mobile phone, which claimed that an aircraft would explode at 11.30 am on Sunday.

The terminal manager immediately alerted the other staff members, the security personnel at the airport as well as the police.

The entire airport was put under vigilance and intense checking was carried out. Meanwhile, the KIA officials approached the police and lodged a complaint.
The police swung into action and traced the number to Channapatna and detained two men.

The suspects, however, claimed that they did not have a SIM card with that number from which the threat message was sent and hence there was no question of they having sent any such message.

They asserted that somebody might have bought a SIM card in their name and sent that message. Investigators said that they were scrutinising the suspects’ documents, identity cards and other belongings.

A senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity, “At this juncture, we cannot disclose the names of the two persons who have been picked up, as it has not been confirmed if they are behind this act. They are being questioned and their documents are being verified. It is too early to draw any conclusions, as both of them are giving vague statements. Once a thorough investigation is done, we would be able to disclose the names of people involved in this act.”  A case has been registered at the International Airport police station.