Chennai police have arrested a 42-year-old man from Sivaganga district for issuing a false bomb threat targeting the Tamil Nadu Police headquarters. The threat, made three days ago, triggered a high-security alert but was later confirmed to be a prank.

The accused, identified as Thavasilingam from Manamadurai in Sivaganga, allegedly made the call to the Chennai police control room on July 5. During the call, he claimed that explosives had been planted at the office of the Director General of Police (DGP) on Kamarajar Salai, and then abruptly disconnected.

Following standard protocol, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) was immediately deployed. The police headquarters was thoroughly searched, and after an exhaustive sweep, officials declared the threat to be baseless.

A case was promptly filed at the Marina police station, and investigators traced the call back to Thavasilingam. He was taken into custody and later produced before a magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody.

Police officials reiterated that such prank calls not only cause public panic but also waste critical resources and time. Strict legal action, they said, would be taken against anyone disrupting public peace and safety.