Multiple bomb threats target airports, several establishments across India, found to be hoax

In an series of events, forty-one airports across India, including major hubs in Varanasi, Chennai, Patna, and Jaipur, received bomb threat emails on Tuesday. The threats, which were hoaxes, prompted extensive security sweeps and heightened alertness across the facilities.

Authorities were alerted around 12.40 PM by emails from the ID exhumedyou888@gmail.com, leading to immediate action and anti-sabotage checks at the affected airports. The terminals in Varanasi, Chennai, Patna, Nagpur, Jaipur, Vadodara, Coimbatore, and Jabalpur were among those subjected to rigorous inspections.

The bomb threat emails bore a chilling message: "Hello, there are explosives hidden in the Airport. The bombs will soon explode. You will all die." This led to the implementation of contingency plans and the convening of Bomb Threat Assessment Committees at each location.

The Chennai airport experienced significant disruption as a Dubai-bound flight with 286 passengers was delayed due to the threat. After thorough searches, the flight was cleared and allowed to proceed. Jaipur's International Airport also conducted exhaustive inspections but found nothing suspicious.

Patna airport director Anchal Prakash confirmed receiving the threat along with 41 other airports. "The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) Meeting was convened, and the threat was found to be non-specific," he stated.

The scare coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, marking his first visit after the Lok Sabha election results on 4 June. Security measures were intensified during his presence in the city.

Parallel to these events, similar bomb threat emails disrupted several other establishments, including hospitals, colleges, and municipal offices in Mumbai. Over 60 locations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), received these threats on Monday and Tuesday. Despite extensive searches, nothing suspicious was found.

Over 50 hospitals in Mumbai including Jaslok Hospital, Raheja Hospital, Seven Hill Hospital, Kohinoor Hospital, KEM Hospital, JJ Hospital, St. George Hospital, and several others, received the bomb threats via email. According to Mumbai Police, the emails were sent using a VPN network, making it difficult to trace the sender's identity and determine the motive behind the threats.

In one incident, a Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight from Chennai received a bomb threat. The flight landed safely at Mumbai airport at 10.30 PM, where it was isolated and inspected thoroughly before being cleared.

An online group named "KNR" is suspected of being behind these hoaxes. On 1 May 2024, this group had previously issued similar threats to several schools in the Delhi-National Capital Region. Indian cyber security agencies are actively working to trace the origins of these emails, which are believed to have been sent from abroad.