Deccan Herald
Alert at Sai Baba's Prashanti Nilayam
after bomb hoax
Anantapur,
Oct. 4: Hoax bomb calls, which disrupted work at many State government offices
in Hyderabad over the last fortnight, surfaced at Prashanthi Nilayam, the headquarters
of Satya Sai Baba at Puttaparthi here, on Wednesday.
The bomb call was declared a hoax after a thorough search of the premises by
the police.Sources said an unidentified person with a foreign accent called up
Home Minister T Devender Goud on Tuesday and informed him that a bomb has been
planted at the Satya Sai Baba Trust building and that it was timed to go off on
Wednesday morning.
Goud immediately conveyed the same to the Intelligence IG who in turn alerted
the district authorities.A team of police officials headed by Additional SP
Swathi Lakra immediately rushed to Prashanthi Nilayam and a search conducted.
Sniffer dogs were not utilised because of the sanctity of the premises. After a
thorough search operation carried out throughout Tuesday night to early
Wednesday morning, the call was declared a hoax.
The police suspect some mischievous elements from among the foreign pilgrims
were behind the hoax call and making investigations.But the hoax call has the
police heighten security at Prashanthi Nilayam, as lakhs of pilgrims are
expected to arrive over the next few weeks in connection with the Babašs birth
anniversary celebrations which begin in the second week of October and
culminate on November 25, his birthday.
The existing team of police officials headed by a DSP is being reinforced. A
door-to-door enumeration of the residents of Puttaparthi is being carried out
and vigil on movement of the pilgrims stepped up. Incidentally, the Sai Baba
Trust used to pay the salaries of the police personnel posted for duty at
Puttaparthi.
The State took over recently keeping in mind the various humanitarian and
philanthropic activities being carried out by the trust.When Deccan Chronicle
took the issue to the notice of Satya Sai Trust secretary Chakravarthi, he said
ŗwe did not receive any such bomb call.
We have successfully conducted the birthday celebrations of the Baba in the
past. People come here with devotion and love. There is no security threat as
such, the trust secretary said after the hoax.