Bomb hoax delays Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express by 3 hours, Four held for questioning
A bomb scare onboard the Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express (train number 12628) triggered a swift response from railway and law enforcement authorities in the early hours of Sunday, leading to a three-hour delay in the train's journey, reported The Times of India. The false alarm, however, turned out to be a hoax, with no explosives found.
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According to the report, the alert was raised at around 1:05 am when Solapur police received a distress call via emergency helpline 112. The caller alleged that a bomb was present in the rear general coach of the Karnataka Express. Acting promptly, the Divisional Security Control Room (DSCR) in Solapur alerted multiple agencies, including the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Bengaluru, Kalaburagi City and Rural Police, and senior railway officials.
As the train reached Wadi station at 1:21 am, a joint team comprising GRP personnel, local police, and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) boarded the train and carried out a meticulous inspection of the suspect coach. No suspicious object or material was recovered during the initial search.
The caller, identified as Deep Singh Rathore from Jalaun district in Uttar Pradesh, was found traveling in the general coach from New Delhi to Bengaluru. He accused three fellow passengers—Ganesh Magar (24) from Nepal, Mintu Kumar (25) from Bihar, and Shiv Thapa (26) from Karnataka—of carrying illegal items or explosives. Rathore claimed the trio had briefly seized his mobile phone after he recorded a video of them, returning it later at Solapur with the help of RPF personnel. The accused, however, stated that they had taken the phone only to delete the video as they were being filmed without consent.
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All four men were detained for questioning. To ensure passenger safety, the Kalaburagi Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), led by Shri Sharanappa and accompanied by sniffer dog Rani, conducted a thorough inspection of the entire train at 2:25 am. The train was declared safe at 4:15 am, and a formal clearance certificate was issued. The Karnataka Express resumed its journey at 4:34 am, causing a delay of more than three hours for hundreds of passengers bound for Bengaluru.
Central Railway has strongly cautioned travelers against spreading false information or making unfounded claims, warning that such actions are liable for strict legal action. The GRP is continuing its investigation into the incident.
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