Pune man plants fake bomb in hospital bathroom after Rs 7 lakh bill shock; arrested

A Nagpur man has been arrested for allegedly planting a fake bomb inside a hospital in Pune in an attempt to threaten and blackmail the management over a dispute related to medical expenses, police said. The accused, identified as Shivaji Rathod, was arrested by the Pune Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) with assistance from Pune Police following a detailed technical investigation.

The incident took place at Usha Kiran Superspecialty Hospital in the Hadapsar area of Pune.

As per the Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Rathod had visited the hospital on May 10 for treatment of a sexually transmitted disease. During the course of treatment, the hospital allegedly generated a bill of around Rs 7 lakh.

Police said Rathod was unable to clear the payment and believed he was being financially exploited by the hospital administration. Investigators alleged that he then decided to intimidate the management and plotted to create panic by planting a fake explosive device inside the hospital premises.

As part of the plan, Rathod allegedly placed the suspicious-looking device inside a bathroom at the hospital. Police said he assembled the fake bomb using imitation gelatin sticks and a timer clock that he had purchased for around Rs 150.

Preliminary findings indicated that the device was a live bomb containing explosive material and a functional timer.

"A low-grade explosive IED was found in the city; an investigation is underway on a war footing. The bomb was defused in an open field," Nitesh Kumar, Pune City Police Commissioner had said after the findings.

During the investigation, officers found that the fake gelatin sticks did not have adhesive backing. To complete the setup, the accused allegedly bought double-sided tape from a stationery shop near the hospital and made a payment of Rs 15 through UPI.

That seemingly minor transaction eventually became a crucial lead in the case. Investigators traced the UPI payment to identify the accused’s mobile number and tracked his movements through technical surveillance and digital analysis.

Based on the electronic trail, ATS teams located Rathod in Nagpur and arrested him. Police officials clarified that the object recovered from the hospital was not an actual explosive device but was designed to resemble one in order to create fear and pressure the hospital authorities.

A further investigation is underway to determine whether the accused had received assistance from anyone else or had planned any additional threats.