‘Close Aide’ Of Dawood Ibrahim Arrested After Threatening To Blow Up Ram Mandir

Patna: Bihar Police arrested a man from Araria district for calling them and threatening to “blow up” the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, PTI reported.

Police identified the caller as 21-year-old Intekhab Alam, who claimed to be a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim.

He was arrested from his home at Balua Kaliyaganj in Palasi police station area on Saturday night, Superintendent of Police (Araria) Ashok Kumar Singh said.

“On January 19 the man dialled 112, the number on which citizens can seek emergency help. He claimed his name was Chhota Shakeel and that he was a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim,” Singh said.

“Alam said over phone that he would blow up the Ram temple on January 22. He does not have a criminal record, but seems to be mentally unstable,” the SP added.

Considering the “sensitivity” of the issue, a case has been registered at Palasi police station. His mobile phone has been seized by police.

“As soon as the call was received, details were shared with the cyber cell. The mobile number from which he had made the call was found to be registered in the name of his father,” Singh added.

Security has been beefed up in Ayodhya for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram temple on January 22, with 13,000 forces having been deployed.