The call initially caused panic in the city police force who were already on high alert in the wake of the terror attacks in Sri Lanka

Central Crime Branch officials on Friday night arrested an army truck driver who allegedly made a hoax call to the police control room in the evening claiming that a terror attack had been planned across several cities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other parts of South India. He also told the police that a terrorist group stationed at Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu would be dispatched to the targeted cities.

The call initially caused panic in the city police force who were already on high alert in the wake of the terror attacks in Sri Lanka, said a senior police official.

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police R.P. Thakur on Saturday confirmed that the call was a hoax, and there was no need to panic. “Karnataka police are investigating on why the latter gave false information to the police,” Mr. Thakur told The Hindu.

Acting on a direction from the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP), CCB officials tracked the accused, Sundar Murthy, to Avalahalli in the outskirts of the city, and arrested him. He allegedly told the police that he often gets visions about incidents that will happen in in the future while meditating, and felt it was his duty to alert the police.

He was later handed over to the Vidhana Soudha police for further investigation.

Security tightened

Meanwhile, security along the coast of Andhra Pradesh was tightened and alert was continuing in all ports, airports, major temples, churches and mosques, following the series of terror attacks in Sri Lanka for the last few days.

Police were checking the churches, hotels and lodges and were asking hotel owners and the public to alert on movements of strangers, or if they found any suspicious material at public places. Vigil has been stepped up at bus and railway stations and at shrines in the State as a preventive measure, a senior police personnel said.

(With inputs from Rajulapudi Srinivas)