Intelligence agencies swooped in and brought the man in for a questioning session that lasted all night, said officers. The call turned out to be a hoax, they added
On Wednesday night, the Delhi Police received a call from a man, an auto driver, who kept them on their toes — he claimed he knew about the Pahalgam terror attack beforehand.
Immediately, intelligence agencies swooped in and brought the man in for a questioning session that lasted all night. Officers said he then revealed that he had no such vital information; he was simply drunk and had made a hoax call.
When asked why he made such a call, the auto driver told police that he was annoyed over a challan issued against his vehicle.
The caller, aged 51, lives in Block D of Shakarpur in a house on the second floor.
A police officer said the driver remains in custody as he was drunk and talking jibberish when they questioned him last night. “He will be questioned again today, now that he is a little sober. But it was clear from his questioning that he made the hoax call because of a pending challan that he was angry about,” the officer said.
No FIR has been registered against the man as of now, the officer added.
Once they question him further, police said preventive action would be taken against the man for making the authorities run circles around him all night.
On Tuesday, 26 civilians – mostly tourists and a local pony wallah – were shot dead by unidentified attackers at Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow in one of the worst terror attacks on civilians Kashmir has seen in recent times.
The Delhi Police has issued a high alert in the Capital following the terrorist attack.
Police ramped up security across the city, focusing particularly on tourist hotspots and border checkpoints, officers said, confirming that checking and surveillance have been intensified. Traffic movement has also been regulated in sensitive zones, they added.
The local police, meanwhile, have been asked to remain on alert in high footfall areas like markets, railway stations, and the airport, officers said.
“Police pickets will be installed at all sensitive and high footfall locations… Security has been increased at all tourist places… Tourists would also be checked, if needed. We will be taking all precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident in Delhi,” an officer said.
In the national capital, candlelight vigils and prayer meetings were held on Wednesday as hundreds gathered to pay homage to the victims.(IE)
