A 51-year-old man from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on Friday for allegedly sending a WhatsApp message to the Mumbai Traffic Police, claiming there were “34 human bombs” planted across the city. The threat also mentioned the presence of 14 Pakistani terrorists and 400 kilograms of RDX, triggering a citywide security alert ahead of Ganesh Visarjan.

The accused has been identified as Ashwini Kumar, a resident of Patliputra in Bihar, who had been staying in Noida for the past five years and working as an astrologer. Police seized multiple mobile phones, SIM cards, and other digital storage devices from him. His primary phone and SIM card used to send the message have also been confiscated.

According to Mumbai Police, the message was sent in the name of a group calling itself “Lashkar-e-Jihadi”. The timing of the threat was significant, coming a day before large-scale festival processions in Mumbai.

Investigations revealed that Kumar’s motive was revenge. Police said he attempted to frame his acquaintance, Firoz, who had earlier filed a case against him in Patna’s Phulwari Sharif in 2023, resulting in his three-month jail term. To settle scores, Kumar sent the threatening message in Firoz’s name.

An FIR has been registered, and Kumar is being brought to Mumbai for further questioning. Police have assured heightened security in the city despite the threat being declared fake.