‘Bomb-like devices’ keep cops on toes
NOIDA/GHAZIABAD: Police in the twin cities of Noida and Ghaziabad are on high alert after three “bomb-like devices” were recovered in the past couple of days.
Police said all three recoveries were made from the two districts after the police control room was tipped off by residents. Probes have been launched in all the three cases.
On Friday, a bomb-like device created panic in Noida’s Sector 63 after which the area was cordoned off and traffic diverted. The incident was reported around 7.15am, when a call was made to the police helpline by an auto-rickshaw driver. “We activated the necessary protocols in place as soon as the call came in. Teams from the bomb disposal squad and sniffer dog units were rushed there,” said Alok Singh, commissioner of police (CP).
He said no explosives or detonator was found in the device, which was made to look like a bomb. A forensic team examined it before the device was taken for further examination. It was found on the divider of the road from SJM hospital to Chhajarsi colony. Police said the device had been fashioned from two painted plastic bottles which contained water; a digital watch had been strapped on to make it seem like a timer.
Locals said the device caused panic in the area in the morning.
“We realized something was going on when all of a sudden there were many police vehicles and then someone said a bomb has been found. It was scary,” said Mohanti Lal, a tea vendor in the nearby Chhajarsi village.
A senior police officer from Noida said eyewitnesses and locals in the area are being questioned and a few leads are being worked on. Police suspect this was a prank and have denied any connection to threats related to Republic Day.
An FIR was registered at the Phase 3 police station against unknown suspects under IPC Section 290 (public nuisance) and section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment act based on suo motu cognizance taken by
the Noida police.
The area is adjacent to Delhimeerut e-way and is located a few kilometres away from Up-gate where thousands of farmers are camping, to demand for repeal of the three farm laws.
Meanwhile, another incident was reported from near the Delhi Meerut Road in Ghaziabad where a similar crude “bomblike” device was found by the police on January 20 and an FIR was registered in this connection at Madhuban Bapudham police station in Ghaziabad.
The FIR states that the device was a 5kg LPG cylinder covered with a black sheet of paper and a “watch-like” timer attached.
Police also found a letter attached to the cylinder which had three demands written on it – capital punishment for a politician, penalty of ₹7crore on seven people and to flash a signal if the “bomb” was discovered.
Police said it was a prank by some unidentified person and said they are probing the matter.
It is expected that hundreds of farmers in tractors will arrive from the same route for their proposed tractor parade before January 26.
“We are taking every precaution following the discovery of the said device and all security arrangements are in place, besides routine checks and patrolling. The local intelligence unit is also keeping an eye and also part of the investigation,” said Awaneesh Kumar, circle officer (city 2) at Ghaziabad. On Thursday, a prank call had been made to Kailash hospital, sector 27 in Noida, about a bomb in the building, which was later found to be hoax. No arrests have been made in any of the cases so far.