Another false terrorism scare in India has once again exposed the baseless propaganda machinery frequently directed against Pakistan, after Mumbai Police confirmed that recent threats of a major terror attack were the result of a personal dispute, not cross-border infiltration.
On September 5, Mumbai Police received a WhatsApp message alleging that 14 members of a fictitious group, “Lashkar Jehadi,” had entered the city in 34 vehicles carrying 400 kilograms of RDX, with plans to cause explosions killing up to 10 million people. Indian media quickly amplified the claim, linking it to “terrorists from Pakistan” without evidence.
However, police investigations revealed that the threat was entirely fabricated. The hoax was traced to Ashwin Kumar, a resident of Bihar, who admitted he created the message in order to frame his acquaintance Feroz, with whom he had a personal feud. Feroz had previously filed a case against Kumar in 2023 that led to his imprisonment for three months.
Police later arrested Kumar and seized his mobile phone and SIM card used in the hoax. Authorities confirmed that the case had no link whatsoever to Pakistan and was rooted purely in internal rivalry.
The episode highlights India’s habitual tendency to sensationalize internal criminal disputes as “Pakistan-backed terrorism,” fueling anti-Pakistan sentiment domestically and internationally. Analysts note that such fabricated threats damage India’s credibility and expose its propaganda narrative against Pakistan.
