Nearly 100 police personnel along with the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad and dog squad have been deployed on the premises of the district Collectorate after it received a bomb threat on Sunday morning.
The Emergency Response Call Centre of 108 ambulance services in Chennai received a call at 11.50 a.m. saying that a bomb will be planted on the premises of the Vellore Collectorate.
Sources said the caller identified him as “Salanullah” and threatened of planting a bomb demanding the release of terror suspects “Police Fakruddin,” Panna Ismail and Bilal Malik and also threatened the Collector. The trio, who were lodged at the Vellore Central Prison, were recently shifted to Puzhal Prison, Chennai.
Immediately, 108 officials alerted the Collector and Superintendent of Police, Vellore. The police personnel at Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children where the call centre is located were also informed, officials said.
Following the alert, the Collectorate came under a security blanket. Personnel belonging to the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad combed the Collectorate buildings and surroundings. The dog squad also searched the premises.
P.K. Senthil Kumari, Superintendent of Police, Vellore, said they traced the tower signal of the caller’s cell phone to Katpadi bypass area. “We checked the address of the caller. It belonged to Sakthivel of Vannivedu in Walajah. On enquiry, he said that he gave the phone six months ago to his brother Muthuvel, who works at SIPCOT. Muthuvel said his phone has been missing for the last four months,” she said.
Following this, police are combing the Katpadi Bypass area. The police official said the threat was only for the Collectorate and not for the Collector.
Police officials said the tight security arrangements will continue on the Collectorate premises for the coming days.
