Coimbatore: A 28-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for making a bomb threat call for Tirupur railway station.
A police source said the accused, identified as S Anand, of Ponnampadukadai at Kumananthur in Theni district, had called up the 108 ambulance services in Chennai around 9.30pm on Wednesday and said he had planted a bomb at the Tirupur railway station.
The 108 staff alerted the Tirupur city police, who conducted a thorough check at the railway station only to realize it was a hoax bomb call.
“Two teams of bomb detection and disposal squad and a sniffer dog were immediately pressed into service. In addition, 50 cops from the Tirupur south police station and nearby police stations were deployed to comb the entire area and check the passengers’ luggage. The Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police also joined them in the search that lasted until 1am on Thursday,” the source said.
Meanwhile, police traced the call location, conducted searches in and around the Tirupur old bus stand, and secured and Anand from a lodge. Preliminary inquiry revealed that Anand was working with a private firm at Melur in Madurai, where he is facing a case.
“An alcoholic, he moved to Dharapuram in Tirupur 15 days ago after he fought with his parents. While he found a job with a Tasmac bar, he quit the job on Wednesday and took a room at the lodge around 5pm. He consumed liquor and called up the 108 ambulance service. Later, he switched off the phone,” the source said.
Police booked Anand under Sections 505 (1) (b) (whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against the public tranquillity) and 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested him.
Anand was produced before a judicial magistrate, who remanded him in judicial custody, on Thursday.