Nagpur man arrested for planting fake bomb in Pune hospital over ₹7 lakh bill dispute

A man from Nagpur 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, as per reports.

The accused, Shivaji Rathod, was arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) with the help of Pune Police following a technical investigation.

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

Reports citing Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar state Rathod had visited the hospital on May 10 for treatment of a sexually transmitted disease, during which the hospital allegedly generated a bill of around ₹7 lakh.

Police reportedly said that the accused was unable to clear the payment and believed he was being financially exploited by the hospital administration.

Investigators alleged that Rathod 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, he allegedly placed the suspicious-looking device inside a bathroom at the hospital. Police said the fake bomb was assembled using imitation gelatin sticks and a timer clock purchased for around $150.

Initial findings reportedly had led officials to suspect the object could be a live improvised explosive device containing explosive material and a functional timer.

However, subsequent forensic and technical examination revealed that the object was not an actual explosive device but had been designed to resemble one in order to create fear and pressure the hospital authorities.

During the investigation, police found that the imitation gelatin sticks lacked adhesive backing. To complete the setup, the accused allegedly purchased double-sided tape from a stationery shop near the hospital and made a ₹15 payment through UPI.

Officials said that transaction later became a crucial lead in the investigation. Using the digital payment trail, investigators traced Rathod’s mobile number and tracked his movements through technical surveillance.

Based on the electronic evidence, ATS teams located the accused in Nagpur and arrested him.