Hoax bomb call creates panic at Mysuru DC's office

Work derailed for two hours, caller demands reward

Tension prevailed for nearly two hours at the deputy commissioner’s office, here, on Monday, after an unidentified man made a call and gave information that a bomb had been planted at the office.

According to the police, a person called the District Control Room helpline number ‘1077’ at 10.30 am. Tipping the personnel off, he said, “When I was going out of my house to bring milk on Monday morning, a few people were speaking that a bomb has been planted at the DC’s office on Sunday night. I also heard that they are producing bombs in the cellar of a house belonging to one Bashir in Gaadi Chouka in the city. The culprits were also discussing about planting a bomb at the court complex.”

A few minutes later, the person called the office again and said, “I am calling from Gaadi Chowka. First identify and arrest the culprits who have kept the bomb and announce a prize for the police informer. Then, I will come to receive the prize.”

Mahesh, a City Armed Reserve (CAR) constable, attended the call and immediately alerted the higher authorities, who informed Deputy Commissioner (DC) C Shikha and also Police Commissioner B Dayananda. The DC was at the Town Hall to attend the National Voters’ Day programme.

The police commissioner sent the sniffer and bomb disposal squads to the spot. After checking every nook and corner of the DC’s office and its surroundings for more than 45 minutes, the call was perceived to be a hoax. DC C Shikha assured the public that the building has tight security and no one can play pranks.

According to the police, the caller had placed the call from a phone booth number, 0821-4255030, at Nanjumalige. A case has been registered in the Krishnaraja police station.

Following the caller’s information, the Krishnaraja police formed four teams and conducted a raid on the place from where the call originated and also on the house of one Bashir at Nanjumalige. Nothing incriminatory was found at the house, said the police.

Following the call, hundreds of employees working at the DC’s office rushed out. They were waiting outside the building anxiously for nearly two hours as the police personnel searched for the bomb. The office complex has seven departments with around 270 employees. Members of the public were also prevented from entering the office.