RBI customer care gets terror threat call from Lashkar-E-Taiba Chief

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) customer care centre in Mumbai received a threatening call on Saturday from an individual claiming to be the "CEO" of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, officials confirmed on Sunday. The man, who identified himself as the head of Lashkar-e-Taiba, called around 10 am and falsely reported that an electric car had broken down on a back road, demanding authorities block the route. Authorities immediately escalated the matter to the Mumbai Police, who conducted a search in the area. However, no suspicious activity or devices were found. An investigation has since been launched to trace the caller's identity.

This incident comes amid a surge in hoax threats across the country, targeting various institutions, including airlines, schools, and hotels. In a recent example, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport received a bomb threat on Wednesday from an anonymous caller, claiming explosives were aboard a flight to Azerbaijan. The threat turned out to be a hoax, one of more than 400 such calls in recent weeks, although the frequency of these incidents has reportedly decreased.

Additionally, multiple schools in Mumbai and Delhi, along with hotels in Tirupati, received similar threats last month, all of which were later determined to be false alarms. In response to these growing threats, the government is working on amending existing laws to strengthen penalties for hoax calls, particularly those targeting airlines. Officials have reassured the public that various agencies are coordinating efforts to tackle this ongoing issue and ensure public safety.