Man who sent '400kg RDX' threat text to Mumbai Police is arrested

The suspect held in Noida has been identified as Ashwini

Law-enforcers in India's Noida have reportedly arrested a man for allegedly sending a message to the Mumbai Police, threatening dozens of blasts to "kill as many as 10 million people" in the city where a Hindu festival is being celebrated.

The message that was sent to the traffic police's WhatsApp helpline on Thursday claimed 14 Pakistani terrorists had entered the city with 400km of RDX that was planted in 34 vehicles.

According to private broadcaster NDTV, the text sent police into a huddle as the metropolitan force was making security arrangements for Anant Chaturdashi, which marks the end of the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival with the immersion ritual, on Saturday.

Sources said the alleged sender was identified as Ashwini. He was arrested from Noida Sector 113 and handed over to the Mumbai Police.

The arrest came after the Mumbai Police, on the basis of information gathered during the course of interrogation, contacted Noida Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh for assistance in the case. Subsequently, the Noida police formed a team and arrested him.

The Mumbai Police earlier said the sender mentioned the name of an organisation called “Lashkar-e-Jihadi” in the threat message.

"Traffic police have received such bomb threat messages in the past. There is no need to panic. Security has been beefed up at key locations, and combing operations are under way. Mumbaikars are urged not to believe in rumours and report any suspicious activity," NDTV quoted an officer as saying on Friday.

The sources said the Anti-Terrorism Squad was also informed about the threat.

The Hindustan Times reported that the threat call followed a spate of recent hoax threats in and around Mumbai.

On Sept 1, police in Maharashtra’s Thane district arrested a 43-year-old man for allegedly calling a helpline to falsely claim that a bomb had been planted at Kalwa railway station.

In August, the ISKCON Temple in Mumbai’s Girgaon area received a bomb threat email, prompting an overnight search by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad. Nothing suspicious was found, and police later classified the message as a hoax. The temple reported a similar threat again the following month, Hindustan Times reported.

Earlier in July, police were called to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after a caller threatened a blast at Terminal 2. A thorough search did not uncover anything suspicious.

Authorities said investigations into Friday’s call were continuing.