Bomb hoax email triggers security alert in Sambhajinagar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Security was tightened across Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and parts of the Marathwada region on Wednesday after an anonymous email claimed that 16 RDX-laden improvised explosive devices (IEDs) had been planted at the city airport, and passport and post offices.The threat, which also mentioned the use of cyanide, warned that explosions would take place in the afternoon, triggering an immediate multi-agency response. Police, along with the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) teams and sniffer dog units, rushed to sensitive installations and began intensive screening operations.Officials said the email was received around 11.57am by the Head Post Office at Juna Bazaar. The message named the Juna Bazaar post office and the passport office in the Cantonment area as targets, and claimed blasts would occur at 12.10pm. The communication also mentioned the regional passport office in Nagpur.Following the threat, authorities evacuated and sanitised key premises and tightened access control. Security at the airport was intensified with additional checks for passengers and vehicles. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers at strategic locations, and surveillance was stepped up across the city and adjoining districts.Police commissioner Pravin Pawar later confirmed that the threat email turned out to be a hoax, but said the police were not taking any chances. "We have scaled up bandobast, increased street patrolling, and intensified security screening across the region to ensure public safety," Pawar said.Sources said the email contained references to political grievances and certain stringent laws, along with provocative slogans, raising suspicion that it aimed to create panic and disrupt public order.The postal department treated the communication as "most urgent" and lodged a formal complaint with the City Chowk police station, seeking immediate protection and investigation. A case was registered, and cyber experts were roped in to trace the origin of the email.Senior officials said no suspicious objects were found during the searches, but security would remain heightened until the threat perception was fully neutralised. Investigators are analysing digital footprints and email headers to identify the sender behind the hoax.Police urged residents not to panic and to report any suspicious activity, and reiterated that strict action would be taken against those responsible for spreading such threats.