Mumbai on high alert after email threatens bomb blasts at airport, Mayor's office and other locations

The authenticity of the threats and the identity of the email sender were not immediately known. Representational pic

Authorities in Mumbai were placed on high alert on Thursday morning after an email threatened bomb blasts at multiple locations across the city, including the airport, the Mayor's office, megastar Amitabh Bachchan's bungalow 'Jalsa' and a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch, an official said.

The official further informed that the email was sent at 10.52 am from an account identified as reduak079 gmail.com. It was addressed to the PNB's Mumbai Zonal Office, the Local Crime Branch (LCB) at Cuffe Parade and the bank's Zaveri Bazar branch in south Mumbai, news agency PTI reported.

Email mentions bomb blast at PNB branch

The subject line of the email mentioned a bomb blast at a PNB branch in Mumbai at 1.11 pm. It also referred to dates, including November 27 and December 31, and contained threats of bomb attacks.

Multiple locations mentioned in threat

The email referred to several locations, including banks in Mumbai, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mahalaxmi Stadium, Bachchan's 'Jalsa' bungalow and the Mayor's office. It also made references to Khalistan and a purported organisation named the 'Khalistan National Army', the official said.

Sender's identity not known

The authenticity of the threats and the identity of the email sender were not immediately known.

Security alert in Mumbai after bomb threat email targets HC, BSE and Jalsa

In a similar incident last week, a bomb threat email naming some of Mumbai's prominent establishments, including the Bombay High Court, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), actor Amitabh Bachchan's residence Jalsa and Mahalaxmi Racecourse, triggered a security alert, prompting police and security agencies to conduct precautionary searches across the city.

The email, received by the Bombay High Court administration, warned of possible bomb attacks at the court premises and named the BSE, Mahalaxmi Racecourse and Bachchan's Juhu residence as other targets.

Following the threat, security agencies stepped up vigilance and launched searches at the locations mentioned in the communication.

Teams, assisted by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and a police dog squad, thoroughly checked the Bombay High Court premises, including different sections of the complex. No explosives or suspicious material were found.

Police teams also searched Bachchan's residence, Jalsa, and Mahalaxmi Racecourse. No suspicious objects were detected at either location, officials said. The BSE was also among the establishments named in the email.

The threat came as the Bombay High Court was observing its Diwali vacation. However, vacation benches continue to hear matters, and judges, lawyers and court staff visit the premises, making the security checks necessary despite the holiday schedule.

(With PTI inputs)