Flat buyers from Gujarat trigger terror alert

Two men from Gujarat, who were in Bangalore to buy a flat, were mistaken for terror suspects and hunted down by the city police.

After two days of intensive search operations, the two were caught and grilled for a whole day before being given a clean chit.

The police termed the exercise as a “false alarm”.

‘Suspicious’

The two, who are running an educational institute in Gujarat, came here on Sunday and went around in a Nano looking for a hotel, police sources said. This attracted the suspicion of some citizens, who called the police to say “terrorists were planning to target hotels”.

The police sounded a red alert, barricading sensitive areas and upping security around major hotels and commercial establishments. The city’s entry/exit routes sealed.

The grey car was finally intercepted on Mysore Road on Tuesday, and the occupants detained for questioning. “After a through enquiry, we found they were innocent,” a police official said.

Alert citizens praised

Police Commissioner B.G. Jyoti Prakash Mirji appreciated the informants. “I’m happy about the alertness and concern of the people who informed us. I am also happy with the police action.”

He added that the mobile phones, laptops and email IDs of the two were verified before they were given a clean chit. “We have not made any arrest nor seized any property nor booked any case.” The police conducted a thorough search with dog squads and bomb disposal squads despite knowing that it could be a hoax call. “We acted swiftly on the information and carried out the operations to verify facts.”