Man Arrested for False Bomb Threat on Howrah-Amritsar Mail After Missing Train
A 54-year-old resident of Murshidabad, identified as Pradipan Bhattacharjee, was arrested on Saturday for allegedly triggering a major bomb scare on the Howrah-Amritsar Mail. Bhattacharjee, who had planned a trip to Shimla with his wife, was apprehended after making a false report to stop the train he had missed.
Incident Details and Arrest
On April 10, Bhattacharjee and his wife were rushing to Howrah Railway Station but realized they were late. By the time they reached the platform, the 13005 UP Howrah-Amritsar Mail had already departed. In a desperate attempt to halt the train, Bhattacharjee called the Railways Helpline 139 and logged a false report on the Rail Madad platform, claiming a bomb had been planted on the very train he had just missed.
In a swift investigation, the Railways, Railway Protection Force (RPF), and Howrah Government Railway Police coordinated to track down the suspect. Bhattacharjee, also known as Deepak Samle and a resident of Berhampore, was apprehended at Patna railway station within 12 hours of making the fake complaint. He was produced before the ACJM Court in Howrah on Sunday, where the police moved a prayer for his custody to "unearth the motive and background" behind the threat that paralyzed train services for hours. The court granted five days of police remand for the accused.
Security Response and Hoax Confirmation
The fake bomb tip-off triggered an immediate and extensive security protocol. The train was intercepted and brought to a halt at Chandanpur railway station, near Kamarkundu, under the Howrah GRP District. A 40-member force, including Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads (BDDS) and four specialized dog squads, rushed to the scene. Railway Protection Force personnel, sniffer dogs, and advanced bomb-detection equipment were deployed to conduct a thorough scan of every coach.
After hours of exhaustive screening, no suspicious or bomb-like objects were found, confirming it was a hoax. SRP (Howrah) Indrajit Basu, who served in the Bengal STF, stated, "The search was exhaustive. However, after hours of screening, no suspicious or bomb-like objects were found. It was a clear case of a hoax."
Official Statements and Warnings
Shibram Majhi, chief public relations officer of Eastern Railway, addressed the incident, emphasizing the severity of such actions. He stated that lodging false complaints, especially those involving security threats, is a grave offence that causes unnecessary panic, disrupts vital train operations, and misuses critical security resources.
Majhi highlighted that Indian Railways maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward such irresponsible acts, which can attract up to seven years of imprisonment. He urged passengers to use the Rail Madad platform responsibly to ensure the safety and efficiency of the rail network, stressing that such hoaxes not only waste resources but also endanger public trust and operational integrity.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the legal and operational consequences of making false security threats, underscoring the importance of responsible behavior in public transportation systems.
