Alert in Bengaluru: Bomb threats at three hotels, search in progress

Authorities in Bengaluru responded swiftly to a bomb threat email sent to three prominent hotels, including The Oterra Hotel in Electronic City. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for South East Bengaluru confirmed that police forces, bomb squads, and sniffer dogs were immediately dispatched to conduct thorough searches at the targeted locations.

Widespread Threats Across Major Cities

In addition to the hotel threats, several schools, hospitals, airports, and government buildings in major cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Lucknow have also reported receiving similar threats. Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Nagpur, and Kolkata were among the locations impacted. These threats were disseminated via foreign-based mailing service companies that utilise advanced data encryption, complicating the investigation process.

Bengaluru | A bomb threat mail was sent to three reputed hotels including The Oterra in the city. Teams of Bomb Squad and Police are currently at The Oterra hotel: DCP South East Bengaluru

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2024

Home Ministry Receives Hoax Threat

A day before the Bengaluru hotel threats, the Home Ministry in Delhi received a bomb threat email. Despite the alarm, the threat was declared a hoax after thorough searches yielded no suspicious findings. The email, received around 3:30 PM by a senior ministry official, claimed that a bomb had been planted in the ministry's building. Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials noted that the email's sender used a Gmail address and possibly a VPN to mask their IP address, complicating tracing efforts.

Previous Incidents in Schools

In April, multiple schools in Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Uttar Pradesh, and Bengaluru were targeted with bomb threat emails, causing significant panic. These threats, however, were later identified as hoaxes. Following these incidents, the Delhi High Court demanded a detailed report. In response, Delhi Police reported the deployment of five bomb disposal squads and 18 bomb detection teams throughout the city to enhance security and address such threats efficiently.

Investigative Efforts and Public Safety

Authorities across the affected cities have intensified their investigations to trace the origins of these threats. The incidents have highlighted the need for heightened security measures and the challenges posed by advanced data encryption technologies used by perpetrators to mask their identities.

As investigations continue, the public is urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to local authorities to ensure safety and security.