BSE, high court, Vidhan Bhavan get hoax bomb, missile threat

The message warned of possible attacks on multiple locations across the city and claimed to have been sent by members of a ‘Khalistani’ group

Mumbai: Hoax emails threatening missile and bomb attacks on several key locations in Mumbai, including the Vidhan Bhavan, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Bombay High Court, banks and the city’s Metro network, triggered a major security alert on Thursday morning.

Mumbai, India - September 03, 2021: Bombay High Court at Fort, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, September 03, 2021. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

According to police, the threatening email was received on an official email account of the legislature at around 6.57am. The message warned of possible attacks on multiple locations across the city and claimed to have been sent by members of a ‘Khalistani’ group.

Following the alert, the Vidhan Bhavan complex at Nariman Point, where the state legislature’s budget session was underway, was briefly evacuated and locked down for about 40 minutes while security agencies carried out searches.

“They (the relevant authorities) alerted us, after which we carried out searches at various places with the help of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and Dog Squad,” said a police officer. After detailed searches, nothing suspicious was found and authorities declared the threat a hoax.

The Marine Drive police have registered a case against unidentified persons in connection with the hoax threat and launched an investigation to trace the sender. The police said such emails are often sent using virtual private networks (VPNs), making it difficult to track down the source.

Legislative Council chairman Ram Shinde confirmed that the email mentioned possible missile and bomb attacks on the Vidhan Bhavan complex, the BSE, the Bombay High Court, banks and the Mumbai Metro network.

Raising the matter in the legislative council, Sena (UBT) member Anil Parab said the government should at least make a statement on it and apprise the House of the situation.

“Not a single minister is making a statement. The government is not taking this matter seriously. Vidhan Bhavan is a place where 350 lawmakers, representing 12 crore people of the state, congregate. If this is the case, how will the government take the issue of protection of the common man seriously,” Parab questioned.

Minister of state for home (urban) Yogesh Kadam said security agencies were trying to trace the origin of the email but cautioned against linking the threat to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. “Such hoax emails are received occasionally, but Vidhan Bhavan is secure. Security reviews have been conducted at all the locations mentioned,” Kadam said.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also urged the government to take the threat seriously and conduct a thorough probe to identify the sender.

The police added that this is not the first time people claiming to be supporters of the Khalistani movement, a separatist movement seeking to create a homeland for the Sikhs, have sent such emails.