Hoax caller threatens to blow up Teesta Bridge

Darjeeling: A hoax call sent the police on a wild goose chase in Jalpaiguri on Wednesday. One person has been arrested in connection with the call.

The call made to the Jalpaiguri District Police control room on Wednesday morning claimed that the strategically important Teesta bridge would be blown up at 2:15 pm and that a bomb has been planted below the bridge.

Soon after the call, police swung into action. The bomb squad was called in from Siliguri along with Civil Defence Volunteers. The bridge was closed down. Police contingents were brought in from the Kotwali and Mainaguri police stations. Traffic was halted and the bridge cordoned off.

Speed Boats, scanners and metal detectors were used in the search. However nothing was found. Call tracing finally led to Debinagar area of Mainaguri. A 24 year old youth Manab Das was arrested from Debinagar area.

During interrogation the youth claimed that his name is Mohammad Manab. He stated that he had made the phone call to harass the police. The mother of the arrested Mala Das, claimed that her son was mentally challenged.

The halting of traffic on the bridge resulted in serpentine traffic jams on both sides of the bridge. "We have deployed a police contingent on the bridge" added Avisekh Modi, Superintendent of Police, Jalpaiguri, after the incident.