Date:14/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/14/stories/2008121458180300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Hoax call creates panic Crime notes

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: There were tense moments at the house of Transport Minister R. Ashok at Jalahalli on Friday night when a police team arrived there to detect an explosive which they learnt had been placed there.

The police control room received a call from a public booth that there would be an explosion in Mr. Ashok’s house. The police searched the house for nearly four hours and found that the call was hoax. The police are on the lookout for the person who made the call.

Arrested

The Ramanagara police have arrested five persons for their alleged involvement in the explosion of a device at a hospital near Ramanagara bus stand on December 5. The police said the accused were part of a gang that was involved in extortion.

The explosion on December 5 was planned to scare Dr. Raju, who runs the hospital and make him pay Rs. 5 lakh, the police said.

Gang held

The Girinagar police on Friday arrested a four-member gang allegedly involved in a robbery in which a woman was injured.

The police caught the accused just a few hours after they had made away with cash, gold ornaments and a digital camera from a house in Vidyanagar in BSK 3rd Stage.