Mumbai, India’s financial capital, was thrown into panic late Thursday after the Mumbai Traffic Police’s official WhatsApp number received a chilling message claiming that 34 human bombs had been planted across the city and that 14 Pakistani terrorists had infiltrated India with 400 kilograms of RDX to unleash destruction.
The message, sent under the name of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Jihadi, prompted an immediate high-alert situation in Mumbai, just a day before the Ganesh Visarjan festivities.
Hours later, police traced the message to Ashwini Kumar, a 51-year-old astrologer from Bihar’s Patliputra, who had been residing in Noida for the past five years. Kumar was swiftly arrested, and his phone and SIM card were seized. Authorities confirmed that he was being brought to Mumbai for further investigation.
Personal Enmity Behind Terror Threat
Shockingly, the so-called terror threat had nothing to do with terrorism at all. According to the FIR filed by Mumbai Police, Ashwini Kumar’s motive was personal revenge. He allegedly tried to “frame” his former friend, Firoz, by sending the bomb threat in his name.
The backstory reveals a long-standing feud: In 2023, Ashwini had spent three months in jail following a case filed against him by Firoz in Phulwari Sharif, Patna. Harboring deep resentment, he decided to retaliate recklessly and dangerously—by creating panic in a city of millions.
Police recovered an alarming number of gadgets from Ashwini’s possession: seven mobile phones, three SIM cards, six memory card holders, one SIM slot external, two digital cards, and additional storage devices.
The Larger Problem: Reckless Threats, Real Consequences
While the Mumbai Police quickly confirmed that the threat was fake, the repercussions of such acts are far-reaching:
- Wastage of critical resources: Police forces, bomb squads, and security agencies are compelled to divert massive manpower and resources to verify such threats, leaving real emergencies potentially unattended.
- Public fear and panic: At a time when lakhs of people were preparing for Ganesh Visarjan, such threats could have triggered stampedes, chaos, or unnecessary mass panic.
- Strain on administration: City authorities had to increase surveillance, check suspicious activity, and coordinate across multiple agencies—all because of one man’s personal vendetta.
- Impact on the accused’s own life: Ashwini Kumar now faces serious legal charges, and what he intended as an act of revenge may destroy his career, reputation, and freedom permanently.
Authorities Urge Responsibility
Cases like this highlight how misusing communication platforms for false terror threats is not just a crime but an act of social sabotage. It undermines public trust, disrupts civic life, and could even weaken the credibility of genuine alerts in the future.
Officials have emphasized that such reckless actions will not be tolerated and strict legal measures will be taken to deter others. At the same time, the case stands as a grim reminder of how personal grudges, when mixed with dangerous misuse of technology, can create widespread chaos for innocent citizens.
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