Bomb Threat Emails Spark Panic at Hotels in Thiruvananthapuram; Police Launch Massive Inspection Drive
A series of bomb threats received via email targeting several prominent hotels in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, triggered heightened security measures on Saturday.
The alarming messages prompted an immediate and large-scale response from law enforcement agencies, including the deployment of bomb disposal squads and sniffer dog units to thoroughly inspect the affected sites.
According to an official from the Cantonment Police Station, inspections were swiftly initiated at all hotels that had received the threatening emails.
“Search operations are being conducted rigorously at every location that was mentioned in the threat.
So far, no explosives or suspicious materials have been discovered. However, our teams are continuing their inspections with full caution,” the officer stated.
The emails reportedly warned of imminent Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonations at multiple hotels across the city.
Notably, the threats included establishments like the Hilton Hotel, located in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram, raising serious concerns given its central location and popularity among tourists and dignitaries.
Police officials also confirmed that a cyber investigation is underway to trace the source of the threatening emails. Cybercrime experts have been roped in to examine the emails’ origin, including the servers and possible IP addresses used to send them.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the threats could be the work of mischief-makers, similar to previous incidents.
Over the past few months, Kerala has witnessed a disturbing pattern of bomb threats being issued via email. Several district collectorates, Revenue Divisional Offices, and even the Kerala High Court had previously been targeted.
In each of those instances, comprehensive inspections were carried out, and the threats were ultimately determined to be hoaxes intended to cause panic and disrupt normal activities.
Given this background, the police are treating the latest threats with utmost seriousness while also considering the possibility that these could be part of the ongoing trend of prank threats.
Senior officials emphasized that they are maintaining a high state of alert until the thorough checking process is completed.
Residents and tourists in the city have been urged to remain calm but vigilant. Hotel managements have cooperated fully with the police, facilitating search operations and temporarily restricting entry to ensure security.
The police assured the public that all necessary steps were being taken to maintain safety and law and order across the city. They also indicated that stricter action would be taken against those responsible for creating such panic, once identified.
