There will be blasts: Mumbai Police receives threat call
A high alert has been issued in Mumbai, Maharashtra, after the Mumbai Police received a call on Saturday threatening bomb attacks in the city amid New Year celebrations. Since the mystery call, the Crime Branch has been trying to identify the caller. However, no suspicious activity has been reported so far. This follows a series of similar threats received by the Mumbai Police recently. One of the calls even threatened to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Why does this story matter?
This incident comes just days after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received a threat email stating that 11 bombs had been installed in 11 different sites around Mumbai. The mailer also called for the resignations of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, claiming they were complicit in the "biggest scam in Indian history." Similarly, the Mumbai Police received a series of threat calls and messages last month.
Security beefed up in Mumbai, neighboring cities
According to India Today, the call was received at the Mumbai Police Control Room at 6:00pm on Saturday. The caller reportedly stated that "there would be blasts in Mumbai" before hanging up. A Mumbai Police spokesperson said multiple checks were undertaken in the aftermath of the call. However, nothing unusual was found. The police were attempting to track down the caller. Meanwhile, in preparation for the New Year celebrations, the Mumbai Police have increased security in and around the city.
Other threat calls received in Mumbai recently
The Mumbai Police dealt with similar calls and messages in November, including a threatening call to assassinate PM Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and bomb JJ Hospital. On November 26, another caller claimed that terrorists were planning an attack in Mankhurd's Ekta Nahar. It was later found to be a hoax. Separately, the Mumbai Police received a social media threat just before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium.
RBI, other banks in Mumbai receive bomb threats
On Tuesday, the Mumbai Police said that the RBI office in Mumbai, along with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank branches, received a bomb threat via email. The sender, who identified themselves as "Khilafat India," demanded the resignation of Das and Sitharaman, accusing them of executing the "biggest scam in the history of India" along with private sector banks. The email warned of bombs planted at 11 locations in Mumbai, leading authorities to conduct a thorough search operation.
No explosives found in banks so far
The Mumbai Police launched an extensive search operation with the help of the bomb squad. Although the email claimed that bombs were planted at 11 locations, no explosive materials were found during the search. A case has been registered at Mumbai's MRA Marg Police Station, and an investigation is ongoing. The police control room is actively monitoring such threats and working closely with RBI officials to ensure the safety of targeted institutions.
