Bomb threat to Pamban bridges turns out to be hoax

Police launch security audit of Rameswaram temple, vital installations

RAMANATHAPURAM

A bomb threat to the over-a-century-old Pamban rail bridge and Annai Indira Gandhi road bridge, connecting Rameswaram island with the mainland, turned out to be a hoax on Friday late evening.

On being informed about the anonymous threat call, received ‘outside the district,’ Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena rushed to the site with Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and sniffer dogs.

A posse of more than 50 policemen, BDDS and the sniffer dog squad combed the more than two-km-long bridges and found the threat to be a hoax, the SP said. However, armed police guards had been posted at both the bridges.

“After posting armed guards at both ends of the bridges, we launched a security audit,” the SP said. The armed guards had been asked to focus on the spans in the two bridges and subject all vehicles entering the road bridge to thorough check.

The SP said as the threat was specific to the rail bridge, the district police alerted railway authorities after which the Railway Police personnel were deployed. A special team had been formed to check all hotels and lodges and identity of all those who had checked in was being scrutinised, he said.

Mr. Meena said security at Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram had also been tightened. A combing operation was carried out by pressing sniffer dogs into service. The district police had launched a security audit of the temple, bridges and other vital installations in the district, the SP said.

The Marine Police of the Coastal Security Group and the Indian Coast Guard were also involved in the security audit, the SP added.