The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday morning received an email threatening a bomb blast at the mayor's office in the civic headquarters, prompting evacuation of the building and a search of the premises. However, the mail has turned out to be a hoax.
According to an official release, an email threatening that bombs had been planted at the Pune mayor's office, the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur, and the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in Mumbai was received on the official email address of the Pune mayor's office at 8:21 am. The office staff noticed the email at 10:15 am and informed the Shivajinagar Police Station at 10:35 am.
The BDDS (Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad) was informed and security arrangements were immediately deployed at the mayor's office in the PMC building at 10:40 am. The BDDS team arrived at the mayor's office at 10:54 am and conducted a thorough inspection of the mayor's office and the entire PMC building till 1:15 pm. During the inspection, no bomb-like or suspicious objects were found.
During the inspection, security personnel from Shivajinagar Police Station were deployed, comprising two police inspectors, two assistant police inspectors/sub-inspectors, 28 police personnel, and the RCP-I (Riot Control Platoon) team. Additionally, PMC security officers and staff, as well as Fire Brigade personnel, were present at the scene.
Officials said the technical investigation is underway via the Cyber Police Station to trace the source and IP address of the received email.
The email, purportedly sent by a group identifying itself as the Khalistan National Army, threatened a series of IED blasts. It claimed that the RSS had supported the 1984 Operation Bluestar and Operation Woodrose, and called for "badla" (revenge) along with the "end" of the BJP and the RSS. The message listed the senders as Eng. Guranakh Singh, Rukan Shahwala and Dr Gurmirvair Singh of the Khalistan National Army.
