Man who threatened to kill 1 cr people in Mumbai with '34 human bombs' arrested

A 53-year-old astrologer, Ashwini Kumar was arrested from Noida, Uttar Pradesh by the Mumbai Crime Branch.

The Mumbai Police posted on X, "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.

"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."

Police had received a WhatsApp message where it was claimed "34 human bombs" of "400 kg of RDX" were planted in 34 vehicles and the blast would "shake the entire city".

The threat message was received by the traffic police helpline.

The threat, which put Mumbai on high alert, was given on the eve of Anant Chaturdashi, a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Anant Chaturdashi also marks the last day of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival that is widely celebrated in Maharashtra.

Ganesh Visarjan sees massive gatherings across Mumbai, with millions participating in immersion processions.

A threat of this scale—featuring explosives and human-bomb claims—could have catastrophic consequences, making public safety paramount. 

Earlier on Monday, a 43-year-old man was arrested for making a threat to blow up the Thane Railway Station. The call was later found to be a hoax.