Mumbai, Oct 21 (IANS): The Mumbai Police have swooped in to arrest an alcoholic who allegedly made a call to blow up the Hotel Grand Hyatt in Santacruz east, an official said here on Friday.
The caller rang up the police control room at 8.49 p.m. on Thursday threatening to blow up the five-star hotel and the police immediately launched investigations.
A thorough check of the entire hotel premises and outside was conducted before an all-clear signal was given while the police scanned the call detail records and pinpointed the mobile tower location to track the caller and arrested him within 18 hours.
As per preliminary probe, the accused is said to be an alcoholic and had made the alleged calls under the influence of liquor.
The police said that in the past few days, there have been similar calls threatening to blow up the University of Mumbai, an Andheri mall, a multiplex in Juhu and another luxury hotel near the Mumbai Airport, sending the police into a tizzy, but all were found to hoaxes.
Several cases have been lodged against the suspect with the Vakola, BKC, Azad Maidan, Navi Mumbai and other police stations.
Meanwhile, the city police said it will clamp prohibitory orders from midnight of November 1 to 15 in view of probable threats to the law and order situation, possible damage to public property or loss of lives.
The Mumbai Police also reiterated its appeal to the people not to give credence to such rumours or fake calls intended to spread panic or fear during the festival season, even as the security vigil has been increased for the Diwali week.