Date:06/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/06/stories/2008080655720600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Hoax calls send police, people into a tizzy

Staff Reporter

While work at district court was disrupted, Visakha Express got delayed

Lawyers, judiciary staff run helter-skelter after an anonymous call
Passengers rush out of train after a person tells driver that he planted a bomb

Srikakulam: Rumours of planting of bombs at the district court building and in Visakha Express bound to Secunderabad from Bhubaneswar shook the sleepy town on Tuesday. The people of the district heaved a sigh of relief after the bomb squad team of the police, after a thorough check, declared it a hoax.

Superintendent of Police Mr. Srikant told The Hindu that it all started with an anonymous telephone call received by the office of the district judge that a bomb was planted in the court building. The call dislocated the functioning of the court and the staff, including lawyers and other judiciary staff, ran helter-skelter fearing for their life. Confusion prevailed for nearly two hours until the police reached the court premises along with a bomb detection squad. After a thorough search of the entire court premises and the buildings, the police proved it a hoax call.

Mr. Srikant stated that no suspicious objects had been found in the court.

In a separate incident, hundreds of passengers rushed out of their train compartments in Visakha Express at Ichchapuram after reports spread like wild fire that a bomb was planted in one of the compartments.

False claim

It all started with a person identified as Divya Singh Pradham, who, in an inebriated condition, approached the engine driver and claimed to have planted a bomb in the train. He warned that the bomb would explode by the time the train reached Palasa. However, the driver alerted the Railway police, who in turn took the person into custody. The driver left the Berhampur station. Meanwhile, the driver briefed the Railway officials concerned at Visakhapatnam about the incident who advised him to stop the train at Ichchapuram and get the train checked by the police and not take chances.

The train was stopped at Ichchapuram at 1.30 p.m. Bomb detection squads requisitioned from Orissa and Srikakulam reached Ichchapuram at around 4 p.m. and after a thorough check certified that the train was free from danger. The passengers and the Railway staff heaved a sigh of relief after the police declared that it was a false claim.

On interrogation Divya Singh admitted that he had stated the same in an inebriated condition and that he had no idea of what he had actually told the driver. The train left Ichchapuram at 5.30 p.m.. Mr. Srikant and his men had tense moments while tackling the situation arising out of rumours.