AHMEDABAD: A series of bomb threat e-mails sent in the name of the Khalistan National Army triggered panic and a high-security alert across Gujarat on Wednesday, forcing authorities to evacuate key government buildings and launch extensive anti-sabotage operations in multiple cities.
The threatening e-mails landed in the official inboxes of Municipal Commissioners and Mayors of the Vadodara, Surat, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar Municipal Corporations.
As soon as the threats were detected, senior police officers, bomb detection teams and dog squads rushed to the affected locations, transforming municipal offices into heavily guarded security zones.
The threatening message contained inflammatory content and allegedly referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while claiming responsibility in the name of the Khalistan National Army.
Despite the heightened threat perception, investigators did not find any explosive material or suspicious object at any of the targeted locations.
The situation was particularly tense in Jamnagar, where the Municipal Corporation received an anonymous e-mail threatening to blow up the civic body's headquarters.
In Surat, the threat e-mail was received at the Mayor's office located in the SMC headquarters at Muglisara. Confirming the development, ACP R.R. Ahir said police moved into action immediately after the e-mail was received.
"An e-mail containing a bomb threat was received at the Mayor's office around 11 am. Following the alert, the entire premises were evacuated and placed under tight security cover. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad personnel carried out a detailed search operation. So far, no objectionable or suspicious item has been found. Our teams are now investigating the origin of the e-mail and identifying the sender," Ahir said.
The threat scare also extended beyond government offices. Parents of students studying at Navrachana School in Vadodara were left anxious after reports emerged of a threatening e-mail linked to the broader security alert.
However, after security checks were completed and students were safely dispersed at the end of the school day, worried parents finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The latest threats come barely days after security agencies investigated a similar series of e-mails targeting high-profile locations in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. Those messages had threatened bomb attacks on the Chief Minister's Office, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and RSS offices at specified times between June 10 and September 20.
Significantly, those threats too were allegedly issued in the name of the Khalistan National Army. Yet, extensive searches in those cases also yielded no suspicious objects.
Investigators are now examining digital footprints, e-mail servers, IP addresses and cyber trails to determine whether the latest threats are linked to the earlier incidents. With repeated hoax threats targeting critical government institutions, Gujarat Police and central security agencies have intensified cyber surveillance and intelligence gathering to identify those responsible and prevent attempts to spread fear through anonymous online threats.
For now, while the threats have proven to be empty, they have once again exposed the growing challenge posed by cyber-enabled intimidation tactics and the enormous security response required each time such warnings surface.
