Bag near minister’s bungalow triggers panic; US citizen had left shoes, clothes to give away

Mumbai, Jan 11 (PTI) An abandoned bag found near a minister’s bungalow in south Mumbai triggered panic on Sunday until police determined that it had been left by a US citizen who wanted to give away his clothes and shoes, officials said.

The incident came to light around 9.30 am, when security personnel posted at minister Nitesh Rane’s bungalow at Marine Drive informed the police about a bag lying near the adjacent servant quarters, they said.

Personnel from the Marine Drive police station and a BDDS (Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) team rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area, an official said.

During an inspection, the cops found a pair of shoes, clothes and a note inside the bag, the official said.

After scanning CCTV footage from the area, police tracked down the bag owner, who turned out to be a US national in his 40s. The man had reached Goa by then, he said.

The man told the police that he had been staying at a hotel in the Marine Drive area. Before leaving for Goa early on Sunday, he placed the bag near the servant quarters of the minister’s bungalow with a note that read, “shoes and clothes are free. Anybody can take it”, the official said.

After ensuring that there was nothing suspicious in the bag, the area was cleared, he added. PTI DC NR