Mumbai's Pydhuni Bazaar Mosque Bomb Threat Call Turns Out to be Mock Drill, Confirms Police

Mumbai: A mosque in Mumbai's Pydhonie Zaveri Bazaar area received a bomb threat call on Friday, prompting an alert in the area and the arrival of a bomb squad. However, the situation turned out to be part of a mock drill conducted by the Mumbai police to test their preparedness for a potential terror threat. The drill followed all necessary procedures, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Latkar, and involved the dog squad, quick response team, local police, and the riot control unit.

Local businesses were impacted during the drill, with roads from Hamidia mosque to Kalbadevi temple closed, and shops remaining shut for seven to eight hours. Senior Inspector Balkrishna Deshmukh of Pydhonie police station clarified, "There was no bomb scare in Pydhonie, just security has been deployed outside the mosque."

A police source mentioned that information from the central government led to searches of a few suspicious locations, but no dangerous items were found. Similar mock drills were also conducted in Juhu.

Earlier on Friday, a case was registered against a man who had called the Haji Ali Dargah Trust office on Wednesday, claiming a bomb had been placed at the site. The caller, who identified himself as Pawan, also hurled abuses. "A case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was filed at Tardeo police station, and efforts are on to nab the accused," said a Mumbai police official.