A menacing proclamation on Wednesday stirred apprehension within the confines of the North Block, home to the esteemed ministry office. However, it swiftly dissipated into insignificance as officials determined it to be a fabrication, devoid of any tangible threat, disclosed sources. The missive arrived via electronic correspondence circa 3.30 pm, landing in the inbox of a high-ranking official stationed at the ministry, as relayed by a representative of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS).
Contained within the electronic missive was a dire declaration of an imminent detonation within the edifice, purportedly harboring a bomb, as recounted by a law enforcement officer. Additionally, it was disclosed that the origin of the email, inclusive of the IP address and related particulars, is presently under scrutiny. A source, choosing anonymity, revealed that the transmission emanated from an anonymous Gmail account, with indications suggesting the utilization of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to obscure the sender’s IP address.
Subsequently, it is anticipated that the Delhi Police Special Cell shall initiate the process of filing an official report, having commenced an inquiry into the aforementioned incident, as informed by a representative. Noteworthy measures were promptly enacted, including the deployment of law enforcement and fire department personnel, alongside canine units, as well as specialized bomb detection and disposal squads, to conduct a meticulous sweep of the North Block premises. Prem Lal, a fire official, confirmed the presence of two fire tenders at the scene.
Following an exhaustive scouring of the premises by the Delhi Police, the bomb threat was conclusively deemed fallacious. “A comprehensive sweep of the entire facility has been executed, yielding no indication of dubious activities. Security agencies have unanimously concurred that the communication was devoid of substance,” disclosed an insider from the ministry. Recent weeks have witnessed a spate of similar alarming correspondence targeting various establishments across the national capital, ranging from educational institutions to medical facilities.
For instance, Delhi’s Chacha Nehru Hospital was targeted on April 30, while over 150 educational institutions were besieged by threats originating from a Russian-based email service provider on May 1. Furthermore, on May 12, a series of menacing communications, attributed to a Cyprus-based email service provider, targeted twenty hospitals, the Indira Gandhi International Airport, and the Northern Railways’ Central Public Relations Office. Similarly, on May 14, seven hospitals within Delhi, alongside Tihar Jail, were subjected to ominous threats from the aforementioned Cyprus-based entity. The Delhi Police remain diligently engaged in investigating the spate of email-based threats.
