PATNA: Senior police officers were on their toes after a fresh email threat to blow up the Bihar Assembly was received on Friday.
Confirming the information, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sachivalaya, Anu Kumari said, “We received information that an email containing a bomb threat was received by Bihar Legislative Assembly officials.”
Police swung into action and launched a search of the Assembly premises. Visitors’ entry was immediately restricted and a dog squad was pressed into service. So far, no objectionable items have been found, a senior police officer said.
Additional police personnel have been deployed as a precautionary measure. Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikey Sharma also inquired about the search operation. “Necessary instructions have been given to the officers concerned,” the SSP said.
The email issued a threat to blow up the Assembly building at around 2.15 pm on Friday.
This is not the first time that such a threat has been received by state legislative assembly officials. On March 13, a similar threat was received by the Assembly authorities, which later turned out to be a hoax.
The threat message had been received ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled to be held on March 16.
Meanwhile, a court in Siwan also received a separate threat to blow it up. Court proceedings were stalled and an intensive search operation was launched. However, no objectionable items were recovered during the search.
Several courts had earlier received bomb threats, and police had carried out searches, but they all turned out to be hoaxes. “But we are alert. We follow the procedure after every such threat,” Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar said.