In a development that unfolded on Tuesday, the government of Karnataka found itself at the center of a bomb threat communicated via email. The sender, under the alias [email protected], forewarned of a potential explosion set for Saturday in Bengaluru. The recipients of this ominous message included Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the Home Minister, and the Bengaluru Police Commissioner. Prompted by a formal complaint, the Bengaluru city crime branch police initiated a case and launched a thorough investigation.
The contents of the email were chilling: “Failure to comply with our demand for 2.5 million dollars will result in substantial detonations targeting buses, trains, temples, hotels, and public spaces across Karnataka,” warned the sender. The Ambaari Utsav bus was singled out as the prospective target for the explosive attack. Following this incident, the extortionists planned to amplify their demands through social media channels, sharing screenshots of their correspondence and disseminating information about the impending explosion through tweets.
This alarming development comes on the heels of the Karnataka police apprehending an individual named Mohammed Rasool Kaddare. He faced charges related to a social media video in which he issued threats against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The arrest transpired following the registration of an FIR at the Surpur police station in Karnataka’s Yadgiri.
Mohammed Rasool Kaddare stands accused under sections 505(1)(b) and 25(1)(b) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as the Arms Act, at Yadgiri’s Surpur police station. The charges stem from a selfie video captured on his mobile phone, wherein he directed derogatory remarks and threats towards Prime Minister Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath. Addressing the incident, BJP leader and seasoned advocate Nalin Kohli remarked on the emergence of anti-elements in Karnataka, with some resorting to “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans, others issuing life threats to PM Modi, and a few malefactors planting a bomb in a local restaurant.