Bengaluru, 31 October

A suspicious object was found on a vacant plot near a footpath near Sonehalli Circle here on Saturday, triggering a bomb scare and prompting the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) to rush to the spot, police said.

The incident occurred within the Jnanabharathi police station limits, triggering panic, they said.

The suspicious object, which appeared to resemble a bomb, was spotted by passersby, who immediately alerted the police.

The BDDS found that the object was an empty plastic tube-like structure and posed no danger. The team disposed of it, a senior police officer said.

"There is nothing to worry. It is a standalone mechanism without any complicated battery. It may have been used in a quarry," City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest Division) SK Soumyalatha said the incident appeared to be an attempt to create panic among the public.

Police registered a case and are examining CCTV footage from surrounding areas to identify those who placed the object at the spot. Investigation is underway.