Cops appreciate 22-year-old for alerting about ‘bomb’

After barricading the area, the object was scanned thoroughly and then destroyed after finding that it was a dummy object.

Navi Mumbai: A bomb-like object was found in the river bed of Bhogavati in Pen taluka, Raigad district, on Thursday by Mitesh Patil – a native to the region. The police were immediately alerted and a team of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) was sent to the location.

Mitesh Patil – who alerted about the bomb – said that as a native of that place, he felt it was his duty as a responsible citizen to alert someone about it. (HT PHOTO)

The bomb turned out to be fake and did not have any explosives, however, the police appreciated the sheer alertness of Patil, 22.

“This is an example of an alert citizen and every citizen should take note of the same,” said Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police, Raigad. “As a part of community policing, we keep encouraging citizens to be an ‘alert citizen’ and report to us when they find something suspicious.”

Patil runs a small shop and regularly visits ‘Giroba Devasthan’ near the Bhogavati river and before worshipping, he washes his hands and legs at the river. On such a similar visit, he noticed a bomb-like object in the water. “I immediately clicked a photo and sent it to the social worker in the area. He informed the area inspector about it and then I was called to the police station,” he said.

Patil added that as a native of this place, he felt it was his duty as a responsible citizen to alert someone about it.

After barricading the area, the object was scanned thoroughly and then destroyed after finding that it was a dummy object.

“We are investigating further to find who had put such an object in the river,” Gharge said.