The North Block which houses the Home Ministry on May 22 received an email stating that the premises had explosives, officials said. However, it was soon declared a hoax after nothing objectionable was found.
In the past few weeks, New Delhi has seen a series of such threats being sent to schools, hospitals, IGI airport, and Tihar Jail.
According to a senior Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official, the bomb threat was received through an email around 3.30 p.m. by a senior officer posted at the Ministry.
It was written in the email that the “building will explode as a bomb is planted”, a police officer said and added that the IP address and other details of the mail are being checked.
Meanwhile, Rajesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) said on Wednesday that the hoax emails warning of bomb blasts in schools, hospitals in the past one month were sent through Virtual Private Network (VPN).
“We are seeking the help of other countries to decipher where did the email originate from using the VPN. Technology is such that attribution is difficult. We will have to work with Interpol, other agencies are working with international agencies and VPN service providers to attribute the origin,” Mr. Kumar said.
He added that Delhi Police is investigating the case.
“The very purpose of the technology is to hide identity and make yourself untraceable,” he said.
While the DFS had sent two fire tenders, the Delhi Police had sent a a dog squad, and bomb disposal and detection teams.
The Delhi Police after conducting a thorough search of the building announced the bomb threat to be a hoax.
“A thorough search has been carried out in the entire building and nothing suspicious has been found. Security agencies have come to the conclusion that the mail was a hoax,” a senior officer at the MHA said.
Published - May 22, 2024 05:45 pm IST
