Schoolgirl’s ‘prank’ led to last week’s security scare at Uran

MUMBAI: Last week’s security scare at Uran was the result of a prank by a Class X schoolgirl, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer told Hindustan Times on Thursday. The officer said the girl has confessed to her prank and apologised in writing.

The girl, a student of Uran Education Society, told the police she had seen five armed men, wearing masks and black clothes, while on her way to school last Wednesday.

A boy from the same school also said he saw an armed man with a gun in the area that day, after which Mumbai, Uran and surrounding areas were put on high alert. The police, anti-terrorism squad, Force 1, coast guard and navy launched search operations for possible intruders.

However, Uran police officials said they hadn’t been told about the girls’ confession.

“We are relying on the girl’s original statement and our search is still on. The students have not given anything in writing,” said an officer from Uran police station, who did not wish to be named.

A senior anti-terrorism squad (ATS) officer said if it was indeed a prank, the police could not take legal action against the two students, who are minors.

Anand Bhingarde, general secretary of Uran Education Society, said, “The police have not told us yet that it was a prank. We did our job and did not take [the allegations] casually.”

A committee member of the school, who did not wish to be named, said, “If it was prank, why did the entire police force conduct search operations? It means the agencies must have received some reports.”

The Indian Navy and coast guard conducted searches where the suspicious men were allegedly seen. However, they called off their searches after 24 hours.