In a serious breach of security, a man from Bhagalpur district in Bihar was arrested on Thursday for issuing a threat against Prime Minister Narendra Modi via WhatsApp during his official visit to the state. The accused, identified as 35-year-old Sameer Kumar Ranjan, was detained within hours of the incident.
The matter came to light when a threatening WhatsApp call, targeting the Prime Minister, was received by central security agencies while PM Modi was touring Bihar. The alert triggered an urgent response from national security forces including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and officials from the Home Ministry.
The Prime Minister had arrived in Patna on Thursday to begin a two-day state visit aimed at launching multiple infrastructure and development projects. As part of the itinerary, he was scheduled to visit Rohtas on Friday.
Following the alert, central agencies coordinated with the local police in Bhagalpur. Acting on the tip-off, Bhagalpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hriday Kant formed a dedicated investigation team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (Law & Order) Chandra Bhushan. The group included officers from the technical analysis unit and the Sultanganj police station.
Farmer Denies PM Threat, Blames Nephew
Initial digital tracking led police to a mobile number registered under the name of 71-year-old Mantu Chaudhary, a resident of Sultanganj. However, during questioning, Chaudhary, a farmer with no formal education who uses a basic keypad phone, denied any involvement. He claimed his nephew was attempting to frame him due to a family land conflict.
Based on further technical and forensic investigation, police traced the activity to Sameer Kumar Ranjan, a resident of Maheshi village. Ranjan, who holds a BCA degree and has been unemployed since the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually admitted to making the threat call using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to hide his identity.
According to the authorities, Ranjan made the call with the intention of misleading investigators and falsely implicating his uncle Mantu, with whom he reportedly has an unresolved property dispute.
Main Accused Arrested
The mobile phone used in the threat has been recovered and seized as evidence. Ranjan has been officially arrested, while Mantu Chaudhary was cleared of suspicion and released by the police.
Terming the act a threat to national security, SSP Hriday Kant urged law enforcement agencies to treat such incidents with the utmost seriousness. A case has been registered under appropriate sections, and further inquiry is underway to verify all aspects of the motive and digital trail.
Police officials reiterated that strong action will be taken against anyone attempting to exploit digital tools to threaten national leaders or manipulate law enforcement for personal vendettas.
