New Delhi:
Panic gripped the Janakpuri District Centre in West Delhi on Sunday after police evacuated a cinema hall, nearby restaurants and shops, following an anonymous telephone call that there was a bomb inside the theatre complex.
Eyewitnesses said a large number of policemen arrived at the spot and asked the cine-goers not to panic and come out of the four auditoriums slowly, to help the security officials in checking the area.
The call was found to be a hoax, after the police and Bomb Disposal Squad undertook an extensive search. The anonymous call, received around 7:45 pm, claimed that there was bomb in the Satyam Cinema Complex.
Nearby shops and restaurants were also evacuated as a safety measure, a police spokesperson said. Later, police declared the cinema hall safe allowing the theatre management to screen movies.
"We have traced the call to a PCO. Efforts are on to identify the culprit," the official said.