Hoax bomb caller arrested in Delhi

NEW DELHI - A man, who had been troubling Delhi Police with his hoax bomb calls, was arrested in the capital Friday, police said.

Prakash, a garments dealer in Karol Bagh’s Gaffar Market, had witnessed his sister getting injured in the 2008 bomb blast in the central Delhi market.

After the incident, Prakash indulged in acts of creating panic in the area by making hoax calls.

“On Nov 27, he made a call from his mobile phone to Karol Bagh police station saying that a bomb will explode in C Block of Gaffar Market,” a senior police official said.

Following an extensive search in the market where a bomb blast in September 2008 killed over 30 people, police declared the call a hoax.

Investigations revealed that the call was made from a mobile number which was later found to be switched off.

“The owner of the SIM card was interrogated but told police that he had lost it about one and half years ago. Then the call detail records were procured and technical surveillance revealed that the number is being used by Prakash,” the official.

“Prakash was arrested and divulged to the police that whenever he looked at his sister Puja, the incident came afresh in his mind due to which he was unable to concentrate on his business,” the official said.

Due to his building “frustration and depression”, Prakash allegedly made the hoax call to create panic amongst the area’s residents.