Teen questioned over World Cup threat

A 17-year-old boy from Maharashtra's Latur district was questioned by police in connection with a threat message on social media about potential disruption during the cricket World Cup semi-final match between India and New Zealand played in Mumbai on Wednesday, an official said. The police here had launched a probe after receiving the threat message, posted on X on Tuesday, tagging the Mumbai police's official handle. The message also contained images of a gun, hand grenades, and bullets, the official said.

Police Investigation

After the threat, the police were maintaining a strict vigil at the Wankhede Stadium, the venue of the semi-final match in south Mumbai, and its surrounding areas. Besides the local police, the crime branch was also investigating the matter, he said. During technical analysis, crime branch sleuths zeroed down on the IP address used to post the tweet, said the official. The IP address was traced to Latur, around 500km from Mumbai, in central Maharashtra, and information about the sender was shared with the police there, he said.

Teenager Questioned

Cops went to the Latur residence of a 17-year-old boy who is suspected to have sent the message threat tagging the Mumbai police, said the official. The boy was questioned by the Latur police and a Mumbai crime branch team was on its way to the city to interrogate him, he said. As the suspect is a minor, he was allowed to go home after questioning by the local police, said the official, adding further course of action will be decided as per law.

The incident highlights the need for increased vigilance and security measures at major sporting events. The authorities must take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of players, spectators, and officials.