THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A fresh bomb threat was reported on Monday at the Vanchiyoor Court in Thiruvananthapuram, triggering immediate security measures. The threat, received via email, warned of an explosion by 2 pm, prompting swift action by the police and bomb squads. Inspections are currently underway at the court premises.
Authorities had hoped that the series of hoax threats that had plagued the state over the past three weeks had finally subsided, but the latest alert on Monday has once again raised security concerns. Despite initial assessments suggesting that the threat is likely a hoax, security forces are not taking any chances. Joint operations involving CISF teams, bomb disposal squads, and local police are being carried out to ensure safety.
This year, Thiruvananthapuram and other parts of the capital have seen a rise in hoax bomb threats, targeting several major locations, including the central railway station, airport, collectorate, district court, luxury hotels, and the secretariat. The majority of these threats have come in the form of email alerts claiming that bombs have been planted. While all previous alerts have turned out to be false, they have forced authorities to conduct extensive inspections, stretching the resources of the police and emergency services.
Thiruvananthapuram cyber crime police have reported nine cases of fake bomb threats over the past two months, with investigators facing difficulties in tracing the perpetrators due to the use of anonymous email services like @outlook.com and @hotline.com. Shanihan A R, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime), stated, “Such cases cannot be ignored. We are addressing this issue with utmost seriousness. A special investigation team has been established to track the source of the emails, with technical support being sought from Microsoft.”
Law and Order Deputy Commissioner of Police T Farish noted that while there are clear similarities in the content of the messages, no common lead has been identified so far. “The investigation is complex due to the nature of cyber channels. However, we are committed to identifying the culprits and will take strict action,” the DCP said.