Chennai: Bomb threats were issued by different persons to two trains leaving from Egmore and Central stations in the city this morning.
While one turned out to be a hoax with the police arresting the caller, the Railway Police are investigating the threat issued to Bhagat Ki Kothi Express.
According to sources, the Master Control Room had received a text message at 4 am stating at bombs would go off on the Bhagat Ki Kothi Express.
Subsequently, the train was halted at Ennore and searched thoroughly by the policemen, Railway Protection Force, dog sqaud and bomb detectors.
Later the police also thoroughly searched a train leaving from Mannargudi to Jodhpur stopping it at Egmore Railway Station.
In an unrelated case, a man called up the Police Control Room over phone and said that a bomb planted in the Covai Express would go off at 6.15 am. The caller claimed that he had overheard three people at Central Station talking about this.
After combing the train, police found the news was hoax and traced the caller.
Initially he lied that his name was Naveen Kumar and that he lived in Vadapalini. He alleged that his friends called up the police from his mobile to play a prank as it was his birthday.
The investigation was handed over to Inspector Chandru of Vadapalini Police station. He said, “He told his name as Naveen Kumar and that he lived in Vadapalini, but we found his name is Praveen Kumar, a native of Vellore staying in Kodambakkam. He works for a private company in the city and he had planned to go to his native place for the weekend. He had missed the 6.15 am train and so he called the control room and issued the bomb threat so that the train may be stopped. He did not have any other intention.”