Cyber crime wing to probe bomb threat call to Kalam's flight

Chennai, Sept 5 (UNI) The City police has entrusted to the cyber crime wing of the Central Crime Branch Police investigation of the case relating to the bomb hoax which delayed the departure of the special IAF aircraft in which President A P J Abdul Kalam was to return to New Delhi after his two-day visit to the city last night.

City police Commissioner Ms Latika Saran told newsmen here today that the anonymous call was received by the police control room from a mobile phone and efforts were on to trace the caller.

She said the control room received the call twice around 2230 hrs. The caller spoke in Tamil and claimed that a bomb was planted in the special aircraft by which Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala was to fly.

She said even though the Governor was not scheduled to leave the city, the police and other security agencies did not want to take any chances and conducted a thorough check in the IAF aircraft by which the President was scheduled to fly back to New Delhi. They unloaded the 33 suitcases of the President's entourage.

She said, however, nothing was found during the search conducted by the anti-bomb squad.

To a question, she said as the call was made from a mobile phone, it was appropriate that the cyber crime police should investigate the case.

Meanwhile, official sources said the President's departure was delayed by about three hours not only due to the bomb hoax, but also due to the fact that 54 invited dignitaries from various walks of life met him at the VIP lounge.

The President's special aircraft which was scheduled to leave at 2300 hrs, had left at 0147 hrs, the sources said.

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