To Get Encroachment Cleared, Man Calls Fire Station, Reports Fake Blaze

An offence has been registered against a man in Thane district for allegedly making a hoax call about a fire so that encroachment on the road leading to the spot would be cleared, police said on Thursday.

The man called the Badlapur fire station and informed that a huge fire had broken out in a building in Khau Galli area.

When a fire department team rushed to the location, they found that a car had blocked the approach road, a police official said.

The accused was sitting in the car. When asked to clear the way, he allegedly asked the fire officials to clear the encroachment on the road and then proceed.

He also informed them that there was no fire but he had made a hoax call to get the fire department to clear the encroachment.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him at Badlapur West police station under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, said the official.

Badlapur fire station officer Bhagwat Sonawane said such pranks should not be tolerated as they waste precious time and resources, and police should take serious action against the accused.

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