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'Arrested in 24 hours': What police said on arrest of man who threatened to blow up Mumbai with human bombs
A 51-year-old astrologer, identified as Ashwini Kumar, was arrested in Noida for allegedly sending a bomb threat message to the Mumbai Traffic Police.
The Mumbai Police on Saturday said that the man allegedly behind the terror threat message in the city was arrested within 24 hours. Identified as 51-year-old Ashwini Kumar from Bihar, the man was arrested in Noida hours after the Mumbai Traffic Police received a threat message of “34 human bombs” across the city.
In a post on X, the Mumbai Police said that its crime branch was behind the arrest in Noida. The investigators also recovered the phone and SIM card allegedly used in the crime.
“Bomb Threat Suspect Arrested Within 24 Hours. The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a man from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly issuing a bomb threat to the city. The investigation team also recovered the mobile phone and SIM card used in the crime,” the statement read.
The cops urged the citizens not to believe in rumours and to contact the police for any assistance.
“Yesterday, the Mumbai Traffic WhatsApp Helpline received a bomb threat message. Citizens are advised not to believe in rumours and are encouraged to reach out to us directly for any assistance,” the statement added.
Who is Ashwini Kumar?
Ashwini Kumar, an astrologer by profession, is accused of sending the WhatsApp message threatening to blow up the city with multiple bombs.
His arrest came a day after the Mumbai Police said that a message on the city traffic police's WhatsApp threatened that 34 “human bombs” were planted in 34 vehicles across Mumbai, and that 400 kgs of RDX would be used in the blast. The message also said that 14 Pakistani terrorists had entered India.
He is a Vastu consultant from Patliputra in Patna, Bihar, and has lived in Noida’s Sector 79 with his parents for the past five years. His father, Suresh Kumar, is a retired education department official, and his mother, Prabhawati, is a homemaker.
Police said Kumar, a postgraduate, has been estranged from his wife, Archana, and has a history of financial disputes.
Motive behind terror threat
In 2023, Ashwini Kumar was jailed for three months after his friend Firoz, a Bihar resident, lodged a case against him at Phulwari Sharif police station in Patna.
Investigators said Kumar allegedly sent the latest threat message in Firoz’s name to implicate him in a terror case.
During the arrest, police seized seven mobile phones, three SIM cards, six memory card holders, an external SIM slot, two digital cards, and other electronic items.
A case has been registered as Crime No. 381/25 under sections 196(1)(a)(b), 351(2), 351(3), and 351(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
