On a bustling Thursday in early September 2025, Mumbai Police received a chilling WhatsApp message: a claim that 14 terrorists had infiltrated the city, armed with 400 kilograms of RDX, their deadly cargo hidden in 34 vehicles. The message, ominously referencing a group called ‘Lashkar-e-Jihadi,’ couldn’t have come at a more sensitive time. With Anant Chaturthi and Ganesh Visarjan celebrations just days away—events that draw lakhs of devotees into the city’s streets and waterfronts—the threat sent shockwaves through the city’s law enforcement apparatus.
But as the dust settled, what emerged was not a tale of terror, but one of personal vendetta, deception, and the misuse of modern technology for a very old motive: revenge. According to PTI and Hindustan Times, the man behind the hoax was Ashwani Kumar, a 51-year-old astrologer and vastu expert from Patna, Bihar, residing in Noida’s Sector 79 for the past five years. Kumar’s elaborate plot, investigators say, was never about Mumbai or its people—it was about settling a score with a former friend named Firoz.
The police response was swift. The threatening message, sent to the Mumbai Traffic Control Room, triggered immediate action. Mumbai Police, working with their counterparts in Noida, traced the digital trail back to Kumar’s apartment. Within hours, Sector 113 police in Noida apprehended him. As Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Sumit Shukla told PTI, "Kumar was arrested from Sector 79 and handed over to the Mumbai Police." The arrest brought some relief, but the details that followed were as bizarre as they were unsettling.
Investigators soon uncovered the motive. Kumar confessed that the entire episode was driven by a personal grudge. In 2023, Firoz had filed a case against him in Patna’s Phulwari Sharif police station, leading to Kumar’s three-month imprisonment. According to the police statement cited by Hindustan Times, "Ashwini spent three months in jail after Firoz registered a case against him... Angered by the action, he posed as Firoz and sent bomb threats to Mumbai to implicate him."
In a calculated move, Kumar had impersonated Firoz when sending the WhatsApp message, hoping to direct suspicion toward his former friend. The message specifically warned of bomb blasts during Ganesh Visarjan, a time when the city’s streets are teeming with revelers and security is at its tightest. The timing was deliberate, designed to maximize chaos and ensure the authorities took the threat seriously.
The immediate impact of the hoax was palpable. Mumbai Police, already on high alert ahead of the festivities, deployed more than 21,000 personnel across the city to maintain law and order. Security was ramped up at key locations, and combing operations were launched to search for any suspicious activity. An official reassured the public through Hindustan Times: "Traffic police have received such bomb threat messages in the past. There is no need to panic. Security has been beefed up at key locations, and combing operations are underway. Mumbaikars are urged not to believe in rumours and report any suspicious activity."
Despite the eventual revelation that the threat was baseless, the city’s police and citizens were left grappling with the disruption and anxiety caused by the false alarm. The case was formally registered at Worli police station under section 351 (criminal intimidation) and other sub-sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, India’s new criminal code. The authorities made it clear that such misuse of public resources and deliberate attempts to incite panic would be dealt with severely.
What stands out in this saga is how personal animosity, coupled with access to technology, can have far-reaching consequences. Kumar’s actions, while aimed at a single individual, rippled across an entire metropolis. The Mumbai Police, who have reportedly dealt with similar threats in the past, were forced to divert significant resources to verify the credibility of the message and ensure public safety. The timing, just before a major religious festival, amplified the sense of urgency and fear.
For many, the incident is a stark reminder of the challenges modern law enforcement faces in the digital age. A single message, sent from hundreds of kilometers away, was enough to trigger citywide security operations and dominate headlines. As Devdiscourse reported, "Kumar, residing in Sector 79, styled himself as an astrologer and vastu expert. He allegedly sent a threatening message to Mumbai Police in an effort to incriminate a man who previously filed a case against him."
The case also highlights the importance of rapid inter-agency cooperation. Mumbai Police’s ability to trace the message to Noida and coordinate with local authorities led to Kumar’s arrest within hours. This swift response not only ensured that the situation was brought under control but also sent a message to would-be pranksters and those with malicious intent: such actions will not go unpunished.
Meanwhile, the city’s residents, many of whom were preparing for the culmination of Ganesh Chaturthi, had to contend with heightened security checks and the lingering sense of unease that follows any terror alert, real or not. The police, for their part, continued to urge calm. As one official put it, "Mumbaikars are urged not to believe in rumours and report any suspicious activity."
Kumar’s arrest and confession have brought some closure to the episode, but the case remains under further investigation. Authorities are now examining the full extent of Kumar’s actions, including how he managed to impersonate Firoz and whether any accomplices were involved. For Firoz, the intended target, the ordeal is a reminder of how personal disputes can spiral into public crises when technology is misused.
Ultimately, the story of Ashwani Kumar’s hoax is a cautionary tale. It underscores the potential for personal vendettas to escalate into public emergencies in an era where communication is instantaneous and far-reaching. It also demonstrates the vigilance and capacity of law enforcement agencies to respond to threats—real or fabricated—with speed and determination. As Mumbai returns to its festive rhythm, the incident serves as a sobering footnote to the city’s resilience and the ever-present need for both vigilance and responsible use of technology.
