Man Makes Hoax Call To Catch Missed Train

[Nirvana 4]

Times News Network

16 Feb 2008, 0414 hrs IST

He missed his train to Surat at Bandra terminus and then decided to make a hoax call to cause a delay so he could board it. Eventually, while the train was being checked for explosives at Andheri railway station, he reached Borivli and managed to board it.

However, Jayantibhai Prajapati, 51, made the mistake of using his own cell phone to make the hoax call. He was tracked down and arrested by the Borivli railway police on Thursday night.

Prajapati, a real estate broker and resident of Grant Road, and four of his family members had confirmed reservations for the Lok Shakti Express train. They missed the train at Bandra terminus from where it left at 7.40 pm. The next thing Prajapati did was to call up the police emergency number ‘100’ and tell them that a bomb had been planted on the train. The control room immediately informed the railway police and the train was brought to an unscheduled halt at Andheri

station. Passengers were evacuated from both the station and platform while a squad carried out a search for explosives.

Even as the railway police and bomb disposal squad were moving from one compartment to another in search of bombs, Prajapati and his family got into a local train and rushed to Borivli station, where Lok Shakti was to make its next scheduled halt. He had even seen the train being inspected at Andheri station on his way.

What Prajapati did not realise was that while the train was being checked, the railway police was simultaneously gathering information about the Reliance mobile number from where the call had been made.

The train finally left Andheri at 9.50 pm. By the time it arrived at Borivli at 10.25 pm, railway policemen in plainclothes had boarded the train. They called on the phone number from which the hoax call had been made. It was answered by Prajapati, who was seated in coach S9 on seat number 51. The passenger chart showed that Prajapati had not boarded the train till Andheri. The police then arrested him on the spot before the train proceeded on its journey to Surat.

Borivli railway police senior inspector S R Gaikwad told TOI, "We receive several hoax calls but this is probably the first time that the caller had used his own cell phone."

Prajapati told the police he was on his way to Surat to attend a family function. "He admitted that he made a mistake by making the hoax call. He was afraid of losing money as they had reserved tickets," said Gaikwad.

Prajapati has been remanded to police custody till February 18. The accused has been booked under Sections 177, 505 (1), 506 (2) of the Indian Penal Code read with 150 (d), 153 of the Railway Act and Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932.

[KumaarShah 143]

^^^

Heights of stupidity. He could have made a call from some PCO. But morally it is not correct at all. Finally he has had to pay for it. Justice will be done eventually.

[KingofKalyan 0]

Whatever...

it was a nice trick but....

[vishalkumar 0]

Amazing to know what people can do to protect their interests. They are ready to cause inconvenience to so many people just for the sake of themselves.

[petar 15]

suits him.

[hritik123 4]

now suits the police tooo

[Honest 836]

^^^

Now the man already learnt the lesson my dear friends. Hope he will not do it again throughout his life.

Regards.