‘MIA Bomb Hoax Caller Wanted to Become Famous’- Police Commissioner Vikas Kumar

‘Mangalore International Airport (MIA) Bomb Hoax Caller Wanted to Become Famous’- Police Commissioner Vikas Kumar during a press meet held at the Police Commissioner Conference Hall on Friday, 21 August 2020

Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at the Police Commissioner Conference Hall on Friday, 21 August 2020 at 11 am, Police commissioner Vikas Kumar briefing on the development of the hoax call made to Mangaluru International Airport on 19 August 2020 said, “The Ongoing police investigation into the alleged hoax call that Vasanth, a 33-year-old agricultural labourer, resident of Mudradi in Karkala taluk of Udupi district made about a bomb being planted at the Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) will cover all possible angles. The City police, with help from their counterparts in Udupi, had nabbed Vasanth, hours after he sent SMS’es and called former airport director (APD) M R Vasudeva about the ‘threat’.

“On 19 August, Vasanth from Karkala made a phone call to former airport director Vasudev Rao about a bomb at the Mangaluru airport. Vasudev immediately informed the present airport director. As per protocol, the search operation was carried out with the help of CISF and local police. Vasanth has studied only up to 8 standard but is quite knowledgeable in using mobile phones. Working in a hotel in Bengaluru for about four years, he had later come down to Mangaluru during the lockdown period and was working in a restaurant in Udupi for a few months before quitting the job. Having found MR Vasudeva’s, the former Airport Director’s phone number on the Internet, he made a hoax call to become famous and gain attention in the media. Vasanth told us that the accused (Aditya Rao), who had been arrested in January, got good publicity (for his actions). Vasanth too wanted to become famous. This is the background. The police have taken a serious view of Vasanth’s action that concerns the safety and security of the airport. He has been arrested for offences punishable under provisions of Indian Penal Code and Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act 1982. To get publicity, he also decided to make a hoax call,” added Vikas Kumar.

Assuring to provide details once the investigation is complete, Vikash Kumar said, “A team of police officials led by T Kodandaram, in-charge assistant commissioner of police, Mangaluru north sub-division and Kamalakar Nayak, police inspector, Bajpe PS are probing the matter. With the custodial period ending, the immediate priority is to subject the accused to a COVID-19 test and produce him before the jurisdictional magistrate. Various sections of the Indian Penal Code have been put on the accused which are non-bailable. We will probe even the seemingly smallest of angles and strive to come to exact reasons that prompted Vasanth to make the call and send out those SMSes, which turned out to be a hoax. The probe will also deal with reasons that prompted him to call Vasudeva, how he sourced former APDs number and if he had any ulterior motive in going ahead with an apparent prank”.

When a reporter asked whether the accused was mentally unsound, in reply the police commissioner said, “It would be unfair to call the accused mentally unsound unless we have a medical certificate to prove the same. The person who wants to become famous (in such a dubious way) cannot be mentally unsound, and it will be unfair to call a person unsound without a medical certificate. We find him very stable at the moment, but if medical reports prove him mentally unfit, we will proceed from there”. Also when a reporter asked about the rules and regulations in regard to the forthcoming Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, Police Commissioner said, “We have already conducted law and order route march past, including KSRP, CAR, RAF and local police in the police station limits to ensure peace and maintain law and order. We have conducted peace meetings with some community leaders and explained to them the COVID-19 regulations”.

“We will keep a close eye on illegal activities going on in the City, including gambling, Mutka, and prostitution, and we have raided the places and arrested the culprits involving in such activities. We also request the support of the public in informing us if they see any illegal activities going on, and all calls will be kept confidential and rewarded if successful. We have been taking little easy on cracking down on traffic violators and other offenders, since many of our police personnel were affected with Covid-19, and many have recovered now and are back on duty. We have issued certain guidelines to police stations which they are working at. I am happy to inform you that Plasma therapy is working wonders and many police personnel have come forward to donate plasma. We will discuss more on this matter with the concerned health officials and will act accordingly”, said Police Commissioner Vikas Kumar.

Police Officer Gurudath Kamath-PRO, T Kodandaram -ACP South, Raghavendra Naik-PSI and Santhosh DK- Head Constable was also present during the press meet. Vinay Gaonkar, the new DCP crime and traffic for Mangaluru Commissionerate also joined the police commissioner on the dais during the press meet.