Cops File Case After Bomb Threat Emails Target 41 Airports

Police have registered a criminal case regarding bomb threat emails that targeted Indore’s Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport and other airports across the country, an officer said on Wednesday.

Following the email threat, which has been proven to be a hoax, authorities have sought information from Gmail, the email service provider.

“On Tuesday, a Gmail account sent a threatening message claiming bombs would be placed at airports in Indore and other cities of the country. However, investigations revealed the message was fabricated,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vinod Kumar Meena told reporters in Indore.

Mr Meena added that a case has been filed under Section 507 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for criminal intimidation through anonymous communication, based on a complaint from an officer of the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The information has been sought from Gmail to identify the person who sent the threatening message, and a detailed investigation is going on, he added.

Notably, 41 airports, including in Varanasi, Chennai, Patna and Jaipur, received bomb threat emails on Tuesday, prompting authorities to scramble contingency measures and carry out anti-sabotage checks that lasted hours, and each of them was found to be a hoax, official sources had said.

Security was beefed up as agencies swept the airport terminals after the emails were received from the ID exhumedyou888@gmail.com.