THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city has experienced a rise in hoax bomb threats this year, affecting key locations such as the central railway station, airport, collectorate, district court, luxury hotels, and the secretariat. These threats have primarily come in the form of hoax emails claiming that bombs have been planted. While all alerts have turned out to be false, they have necessitated extensive inspections, straining the resources of police and emergency services.
Thiruvananthapuram airport and Thampanoor railway station both received bomb threats on Sunday via email directed to the airport manager’s official account. Acting swiftly, police, along with bomb squads and canine units, conducted thorough inspections at both the airport and railway station, as well as in the surrounding areas. Fire and Rescue Services personnel were placed on standby. However, no suspicious objects were uncovered during these searches.
This alarming situation follows a series of similar threats received by three hotels in the city just a day earlier. The Hilton Hotel near the secretariat and the Gokulam Grand Hotels in Aakulam and Kovalam were inspected by different police units. Notably, the bomb threat targeting the Hilton Hotel was mistakenly sent to the Hyacinth Hotel in Thampanoor, adding to the confusion surrounding the situation.
The city’s cyber crime police have reported seven cases of fake bomb threats over the past two months, with investigators facing challenges in tracing the perpetrators due to the use of @outlook.com and @hotline.com email extensions.
“We have sent a letter to Microsoft requesting details about the accused,” said Shanihan A R, ACP of cyber crime. However, responding to three of the cases, Microsoft indicated that the implicated IP addresses were traced to Poland, the Czech Republic, and the United States. They also noted that privacy policies prevent them from sharing further information.
During a review meeting held on Friday, the cybercrime team reiterated their concerns to Microsoft, stressing the severity of the situation. “We made it clear that this is a serious security concern. The department is preparing to issue three more notices within 48 hours. If Microsoft continues to withhold necessary details, we are prepared to take legal action,” Shanihan said.
According to the ACP, these threats appear to be designed to incite public panic. “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,” he added.
Law and order DCP T Farish said that while there are similarities in the content of the messages, no common lead has yet been identified.
7 cases in 2 months
The city’s cyber crime police have reported seven cases of fake bomb threats over the past two months
Responding to three of the cases, Microsoft indicated that the implicated IP addresses were traced to Poland, the Czech Republic, and the United States
They also noted that privacy policies prevent them from sharing further information