Bengaluru, often hailed as the tech hub of India, finds itself on high alert again as three high-profile hotels received bomb threats via email on Thursday. The city authorities have promptly launched an investigation, with police, bomb squads, and sniffer dogs dispatched to the locations, including the renowned five-star Oterra hotel.
Immediate Response and Investigation
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Bengaluru confirmed the incident, detailing that bomb threat emails were sent to three reputed hotels. Speaking to the news agency ANI, the DCP stated, “A bomb threat mail was sent to three reputed hotels, including The Oterra in the city. Teams of the Bomb Squad and Police are currently at The Oterra hotel.”
This threat has triggered a massive security operation, as teams meticulously search for any signs of explosives. The authorities are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the safety of hotel guests and staff, and to investigate the credibility of the threats.
A Troubling Pattern
This incident is part of a troubling pattern of bomb threats in Bengaluru. Nearly seven weeks ago, a private school in the Bengaluru Urban district received a similar email. The email, sent to the principal of Treamis School in Hulimangala, claimed explosives were planted under desks and benches. After a thorough three-hour search, the threat was deemed a hoax.
Schools Also Targeted
On May 14, the city faced a series of hoax bomb threats targeting educational institutions. At least eight schools across various parts of Bengaluru received emails threatening to ‘explode the building.’ The institutions affected included Bengaluru Scottish School, Bhavan Bangalore School, Jain Heritage School, Deeksha High School, Edify Schools, Chitrakoota School, Gangothri International Public School, and Giridhanva School.
The emails, sent around 12:20 am, carried a chilling message: “I have placed explosive devices inside your building. They will explode in the following hours. This isn’t a threat; you have a few hours to disarm the bomb, or else the blood of innocent people inside the building will be on your hands. The group called ‘Court’ is behind this massacre.”
A Recurring Domain
Interestingly, the emails to the schools originated from the same domain, ‘beeble.com’, which was previously used to send bomb threats to 68 other schools in and around Bengaluru on December 1. This recurring pattern has prompted city police to investigate the possibility of a larger network behind these threats.
National Concern
The issue is not confined to Bengaluru alone. Similar hoax bomb threats have been reported in various parts of India, including the Delhi-NCR region, Lucknow, and Jaipur. This national trend raises significant concerns about the security measures in place and the psychological impact of such threats on the public.
Conclusion
As Bengaluru grapples with these recurring bomb threats, the city’s police and security forces remain vigilant. While the immediate priority is to ensure safety and prevent any potential harm, a deeper investigation is essential to uncover the source of these threats and bring the perpetrators to justice. The pattern of hoax threats disrupts daily life and instills unnecessary fear, making it crucial for authorities to address this issue swiftly and effectively.
