It was a hoax, police said.

Incidentally, AICC member Madhavrao Scindia was to address a public meeting near the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar statue near the market in the evening.

Additional Police Commissioner Vipul Vijoy, DCP K K Oza, ACP S M Khatri, along with sniffer dogs and a bomb disposal squad, after a man called up the police control room thrice between 3.15 and 3.30 pm, identifying himself as a security guard at the market.

Police said telephone operator Mayaben at the market had also received two calls between 1.45 and 2.30 pm on a direct number when there was power failure in the market.

The caller, who spoke fluent Gujarati, told her that three bombs had been planted in the market and they would go off in two hours. She asked the caller to hold the line while she connected him to the authorities, but the man hung up each time, saying he had no time to talk to them. Despite requests, he refused to identify himself, Mayaben told police.

As the news spread, panic gripped textiles traders and they began closing shops and leaving the market.

Police intervened, asking them to down shutters for the day and not to open the shops till 3 pm tomorrow.