Hyderabad, Nov 16 (IANS): A man in Hyderabad was sent to imprisonment for 18 days on Wednesday, within hours after he made a bomb hoax call.

Akbar Khan, a resident of Santosh Nagar area in the city, had called the police control room on Tuesday night to inform that a bomb had been planted at IS Sadan Cross Roads.

Police, along with bomb disposal squad, conducted through searches at the busy traffic intersection, also known as Masjid Mandir junction. The searches were carried out at both the mosque and temple and surrounding localities. Panic had gripped the entire area.

After three-hour long searches, police found it to be a hoax call. Meanwhile, the police traced the caller to Hafiz Baba Nagar and arrested him. A case was registered against him at Saeedabad police station.

Akbar Khan has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 182 (False information with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) Aand 70 (B) City Police Act.

Invoking special powers under the Act, the police sent him to imprisonment for 18 days.