Hoax call triggers chaos at Yelahanka railway station

NT Correspondent

Addicted to online gaming, a 12-year old boy allegedly made a fake threat call claiming a bomb was placed at the Yelahanka railway station in Bengaluru.

According to the police, the incident took place on March 30 around 2 pm when the railway police helpline received the bomb threat. The authorities promptly responded and shut down the station for 90 minutes. However, they later found the call to be a hoax.

The boy was playing an online multiplayer game by wirelessly connecting his phone with his classmate while in Yelahanka railway station.

Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that the boy’s motive was to stop his classmate from boarding his train (Kacheguda Express) at the station and avoid losing the game.

Meanwhile Railway Protection Forces (RPF) conducted thorough scans at the railway station with the help of anti-sabotage squad and dog squad. The security checks reportedly delayed all the trains coming to and going from the Yelahanka railway station.

Finding nothing, the personnel assumed the call to be a prank. They found that the number from which they had received the call was switched off.

Later the phone was tracked and found to be at Vinayak Nagar near Yelahanka. Reportedly, the phone which the boy had used was given to him by his parents.

The boy’s parents were provided counseling on how to advise him regarding the incident. Police in plain clothes also visited the boy to counsel him. Sources said that no charges are being pressed against the boy since he is a minor.