Email warns of 'terror attack' in Mumbai, various cities of Maharashtra put on alert

The Mumbai office of the National Investigation Agency received a threatening email on Thursday, which said that a person would carry out a terror attack in the financial capital, following which the Mumbai police and the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) were alerted.

The email address used to send the threat message had ‘CIA’ in it and the sender claimed that a person connected with the Taliban would carry out an attack in Mumbai. “The IP (internet protocol) address of the sender has been traced to Pakistan,” confirmed a senior ATS officer probing the threat mail.

According to Mumbai Police Crime Branch, the sender of the mail claimed to be a Talibani, whereas the email said that terror attacks would be carried out at the direction of Taliban leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is a member of the extremist group.

Mumbai Police beefed up security in the city after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) alerted the police commissioner of the email threat.

“All Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) units across 95 police stations in Mumbai have been asked to intensify their vigil and take action on any suspicious persons and activities,” said a Mumbai Police crime branch officer, adding that the email could be a prank, as in the past, similar messages have been sent to the probe agency.

The federal anti-terror agency had received a similar threat email last month but the police probe and did not find any substance in the threats. In January, an unknown caller had threatened to blow up the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in BKC, while a call informing about bombs having been planted in various parts of the city was received in October last year.