Woman from Mumbai held for making bomb hoax call in Goa

According to Calangute Police Station In-charge Police Inspector Jivba Dalvi, a call was received to Police Control Room, Panaji, from a lady caller at around 0115 hrs early morning informing that a bomb was kept in a popular restaurant at Calangute Beach.

Dalvi and staff rushed to the spot and within minutes evacuated the restaurant and the surrounding premises without creating panic among the public. The quick reaction team of the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) also was called at the spot.

Dalvi and staff consisting of PSI Sitaram Malik without waiting for the bomd disposal squad themselves conducted preliminary search of the premises and looked for any suspicious material. The services of the Bomb Disposal Squad and the Dog Squad were obtained and a sabotage check was carried out and finally it was confirmed that there was no any bomb placed.

Subscriber details of the caller was obtained, a thorough check of the hotels in surrounding area was carried out and based on the clues the caller was found staying in a nearby hotel along with her friend.

Police brought her to the police station wherein she was thoroughly interrogated during which she disclosed that she had made a hoax call to make the restaurant management suffer losses by shutting it down as she and her friend had an argument with a waiter.

The accused was identified as Rangoli, daughter of Paresh Patel, resident of Malad West, Mumbai.

An offence under section 182, 505(1)(b) and 506 IPC was registered and the accused was placed under arrest. The mobile phone used to make the hoax call was taken into custody and further investigation was in progress, Dalvi added.