Mumbai: Is someone messing with the city?

A part of the message can be seen on the top display

Is someone on an abusing spree to mess with the city authorities? After Powai plaza, someone "hacked" into the newly installed traffic advisory display board outside Oberoi Mall in Goregaon and ran an offensive message on Thursday.

The message

This digital board functions with the WiFi connection and someone stole the WiFi password and connected a mobile phone to run the vulgar abusive message, said cops. The message in Marathi read: Bghto Kay…L'''ya…gadi nit chalav. Without the offensive word, the message means, "What are you staring at, drive properly". While some commuters frowned at the filthy message, many were embarrassed and a few found it funny

‘Not a joke'

Pragati Kedar Fernandes, a commuter, however, was outraged. "It is absolutely shocking what happened at the Oberoi signal. There were children in buses who witnessed this incident. This is not a joke. The culprit should get the strictest punishment. Police should book him," she told mid-day later.

"Whatever happened was not at all right. What I am most worried about is, if someone could hack into Mumbai's advisory digital board system of the BMC, then the citizens of this city aren't safe. I am concerned about my or any other individual's privacy. The government should find out the culprit and take strict action against them. We also need assurance that our personal data is safe with our government," said Bharti G, a commuter.

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Many commuters posted pictures and videos of the message on social media platforms, while some alerted the cops. The traffic police immediately disconnected the power of the display board. The BMC's Roads Department installed the board at the Oberoi Mall junction a few days back.

Senior Inspector Jeevan Kharat of Dindoshi police station said, "We informed the traffic police and the digital board was immediately shut down on Thursday evening. The BMC's Roads Department and the traffic police are checking how this digital advisory board was hacked. We are conducting an inquiry into the matter." Senior Police Inspector Mukund Yadav of Dindoshi traffic division said, "This advisory board is handled and operated by the BMC and they shut it down after someone hacked it."

BMC's ward executive engineer, requesting anonymity, said, "We are conducting an inquiry into this matter and will take action against whoever hacked into the digital advisory board." At the Powai plaza signal, someone, in November, ran a similar message: Baghtos Kay……L'''ya. Two days back, someone changed the message on the traffic display board at the Haji Ali signal to: "smoke weed every day".