Cops receive 39 calls after releasing sketch

After the Mumbai Police sounded a high alert on December 24 that four LeT terrorists had sneaked into the city and were planning to carry out attacks during the Christmas and New Year,as many as 39 calls have been received by the police from citizens claiming to have spotted Walid Jinnah,the only terrorist whose sketch has been released.

“So far we have received 39 calls related to the sketch we had released. Since we cannot leave anything to chance in such sensitive matters,we have followed up on all of these calls. However,nothing concrete has materialised,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy. “These calls are from across the city,and there is no particular area from which multiple calls have come in. The callers have claimed to have spotted the terrorist in areas like Bandra,Mazgaon,Sewree and Ghatkopar,” said Roy. A dedicated helpline number 2263-3333 has been set up by the police for any information relating to the terrorists.

According to the police,while most of the callers genuinely believed that they had spotted someone who resembled the sketch,some of the calls made were from people who nursed grudges against others and claimed to have spotted them moving around with Jinnah in a particular area.

“Our investigations are on,and special teams have been formed in each of the Crime Branch units for the sole purpose of checking hotels,lodges and other establishments where there could be chance that the four terrorists might have taken shelter,” said Roy.