Some hoax phone calls on bombs being planted at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) campus or imminent attacks on reputed educational, government and private intuitions have kept the city police on tenterhooks for the last few years. Another hoax call received by Dehradun police on Monday night has triggered panic among the policemen. Police rushed to IMA premises and conducted search operations. But nothing was found. It just ended up causing major traffic congestion on the city roads.
However, police arrested a person Anil Kumar, resident of Nyagoan, Patelnagar, late Monday night, who had made the hoax call to the police control room around 9 pm on Monday. He was booked under section 151 of CrPC in Premnagar police station. Police grilled the accused. later, he was sent for 14 days’ judicial custody in Suddhowala jail after being produced in the court, said CO Manoj Kumar Katyal.Katyal said Anil Kumar called up police control room, saying that his family members had been abducted by some kidnappers and they had placed a bomb in IMA campus. He also sought mobile numbers of politicians and bureaucrats to inform them of the same. Though police took it as a hoax call they did not take chances with IMA figuring in it and conducted a thorough search operation in the institute’s premises.
Dehradun senior superintendent of police (SSP) Pushpak Jyoti, superintendent of police (SP) City Ajay Singh, circle officer Katyal and some inspectors rushed to the spot. The local police and bomb disposal squad, dog squad and other policemen of specialised units were pressed into service. The IMA officials allowed the police to conduct the search operation in the campus, keeping in view the gravity of things.However, three hours’ operation conducted by local police and IMA security personnel in the campus found nothing. The police finally arrested the person who had made the phone call to police control room.
However, the accused failed to reveal much as he was drunk on Monday night. He was brought at Premnagar police station. later, on Tuesday morning, he was again grilled. It was learnt that he was in a depressed state of mind with long-drawn domestic dispute now pending with Women’s helpline. He was working as a cook in a private canteen within the south campus of IMA. According to canteen operator, he had gone to his home on leave and had not joined the canteen yet.Policemen of other police stations being put on alert, vehicle checking drivers were conducted at several intersections. Things ended up spawning traffic jolts with police going for traffic diversion.
It should be mentioned here that on two previous occasions, policemen got panicky after receiving threat letters. In March, 2014, a letter threatened terror strikes by members of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) at Welham’s Girl School between March 30 and April 8. A man in his early 20s had reached Welham Girls' School premises, threw the letter addressed to the principal before one of the security guards and fled on a two-wheeler. Acting on it, police force (in uniform and plain clothes) were deployed at educational institutes. Nothing had happened though.
In January, 2014, the Dehradun Police had arrested one person who had sent a letter to IMA administration, threatening to detonate explosives in the academy on Republic Day. According to the police, the accused had confessed having written the letter to frame some of his relatives by way of taking revenge for a lingering family property dispute. The IMA officials contacted the police on January 22, informing that a letter threatening to blow the academy on January 26 had been received.