Hoax bomb threats target TN secretariat, DGP office; police search for email sender

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government secretariat and the state police headquarters received hoax bomb threats on Sunday, a day after a similar false threat was issued to Anna University.

According to the Greater Chennai Police, an unidentified individual contacted the police control room by phone, issuing a bomb threat targeting the state secretariat and the office of the Director General of Police (DGP).

Following the call, the police conducted an immediate inspection, but the threat was found to be a hoax.

Sources in the Greater Chennai Police confirmed that a case has been registered and efforts are underway to trace the caller through their phone number.

The incident follows a hoax bomb threat received by Anna University on Saturday

In that case, an email threatened the presence of explosives on the university premises.

The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) conducted a search with sniffer dogs, confirming that the threat was false.

Police have also registered a case and are investigating to identify the sender of the email.

In August 2024, Chennai airport authorities received an email claiming that bombs had been planted on the flight scheduled to carry Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to San Francisco.

The email, initially sent to Cochin airport, was forwarded to Chennai airport officials. Although the email did not specify the airline, it mentioned that bombs had been planted on the CM’s flight.

After thorough security checks, the threat was confirmed to be a hoax.

In October 2024, nine educational institutions in Tamil Nadu, including St. Joseph’s College and Holy Cross College, received hoax bomb threats via email.

Following detailed searches by BDDS personnel, all threats were found to be false.

Multiple schools and a college in Tiruchy district, such as Mahatma Gandhi Centenary Higher Secondary School and Holy Cross Women’s College, received bomb threats in November 2024.

Bomb disposal teams were deployed, but no explosives were found during inspections.

Authorities have noted a concerning rise in false bomb threats targeting schools, colleges, and public infrastructure across Tamil Nadu and the rest of the country.

Despite the immediate response and deployment of resources, most threats have been proven baseless upon investigation.

Police continue to work on tracing the origin of these threats and addressing the growing menace of hoax bomb calls and emails.