Idukki: Nidhin Sharma alias Khalid seems to have an unsettling obsession--issuing bomb threats to public places across the country, from airports and railway stations to major cities. The 39-year-old Delhi native was recently taken into custody by Kerala Police in connection with a fake bomb threat targeting Munnar. He was handed over by the Mysuru police, who had earlier arrested him in a similar hoax case.

In the past, Sharma has issued threats in Himachal Pradesh, Mysuru, and several locations across Kerala, including Thampanoor, Mattannur, Nedumbassery, and Munnar. The case began on April 30, when Munnar police received an email claiming that bombs had been planted in multiple resorts and hotels across the hill station. Acting swiftly, police deployed bomb squads and sniffer dogs across the region, but no explosives were found. A cyber investigation traced the threat to a stolen mobile phone. During the probe, officers found that Sharma had already been arrested by Mysuru’s Lashkar Police for a similar offence.

A repeat offender, Sharma was arrested in 2017 for threatening to bomb Lulu Mall in Ernakulam and served time in jail. He has also spent time in Delhi’s Tihar Jail and is known for using stolen phones to circulate hoax threats.

Munnar SHO A P Anil Kumar told Onmanorama that Sharma is also an accused in a separate case involving an attempt to murder his own grandmother. Following his recent arrest, he was brought to Munnar, produced before the Devikulam court, and remanded to police custody. He will be handed back to Mysuru police for further investigation. Circle Inspector Anil Kumar confirmed that a case has been registered against Sharma under charges of cyber terrorism, a serious offence punishable with imprisonment of up to 10 years. Police are now investigating whether he acted alone or had any accomplices.

The operation was carried out on the instructions of Idukki SP TK Vishnu Pradeep and led by Munnar DySP Alex Baby. The team included Devikulam SHO Noble PJ and Munnar SI Nisar MK.