New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) Panic spread in the national capital Tuesday after an anonymous caller threatened to blow up four crowded places - the Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, the Palika Kendra and Vikas Minar. The call turned out to be a hoax, police said.
“The police control room received the first call at around 10 a.m. The unidentified caller claimed that bombs have been planted at RML Hospital, the high rise Palika Kendra and Vikas Minar. Within a minute, a second call came and the caller said that the bomb has been placed in Safdarjung Hospital, not in RML,” a senior police officer said.

This led to intensive searches at Palika Kendra, the headquarters of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Sansad Marg near Connaught Place, and at Vikas Minar near ITO.

“Policemen were immediately pressed into service for combing operations at these places. Bomb disposal squads and sniffer dog squads were also pressed into service. Ambulances and fire brigade were also on standby,” the officer added.

The sprawling Safdarjung Hospital in south Delhi was evacuated for checking.

“RML hospital was not evacuated during the search operations,” N.K. Chaturvedi, medical superintendent of RML Hospital, told IANS.

“It was probably a mischievous call just to spread panic. The identity of the caller has not been established yet. We are investigating the matter,” the police official said.