Ahmedabad, Sep 21 (PTI) A bomb threat email for several locations across Gujarat, including the famous Somnath Temple and BJP offices, triggered security checks on Monday before officials confirmed it was a hoax, police said.
Bomb detection squads and local police combed the Somnath Temple premises in Gir Somnath district, and the ruling party’s offices in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, but nothing suspicious was found at these locations, an official said.
An email threatening to blow up several locations was received at an undisclosed address, following which the State Intelligence Bureau alerted local police, Ahmedabad C-Division Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Advait Gandhi said.
Upon receiving the alert, bomb squad and police teams were rushed to the sites, he said.
“Apart from the BJP’s office at Khanpur in the city, inputs were received regarding the Somnath Temple, the BJP headquarters in Koba, Gandhinagar, and two or three other locations. Operations are currently underway at those places,” Gandhi said.
He said the email contained “information regarding a bomb blast”.
Checking had been completed at the Khanpur BJP office, and nothing suspicious was found, he said, adding that an intensive checking operation was launched in Somnath as the email threatened a blast at the temple.
Deputy Superintendent of Police MF Chaudhari said all officers on- and off-duty were called in, while teams from the temple security, local crime branch, Special Operations Group (SOG), Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and quick response teams (QRT) were alerted.
“We received the information about the threat through our control room. But where it came from is a subject of investigation, and other agencies are looking into it,” Chaudhari said.
The temple premises and the administrative area around it were checked, while LCB and SOG teams were also instructed to check hotels and look out for suspicious persons.
The temple was cleared of devotees for about 10 minutes after the threat was received, following which the BDDS team carried out an anti-sabotage check.
“No suspicious objects or items were found,” Chaudhari said, adding that the situation at the temple was normal.
He said the temple was already under round-the-clock security with two-layer frisking of devotees and restrictions on electronic gadgets.
Following the threat, police moved into a more alert mode and intensified checks. PTI PJT PD ARU
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