MAPUSA
A bomb threat received via email at the office of Additional Collector 3 in Mapusa on Thursday afternoon caused panic among officials and employees, before it was eventually deemed a hoax by law enforcement authorities.
According to information provided by the Mapusa Police, the office of Additional Collector 3, Pundalik Khorjuvenkar, received an email at approximately 2.15 pm, threatening to detonate an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) within the office premises.
Alarmed by the threat, Khorjuvenkar promptly alerted the Mapusa Police, triggering an immediate security response.
A team of police officials, along with the bomb disposal squad and a dog squad, was swiftly deployed to the government complex in Mapusa.
The authorities wasted no time in cordoning off the entire area, ensuring that all safety protocols were followed to prevent any potential casualties or damage.
The bomb disposal experts, assisted by trained sniffer dogs, meticulously inspected every office within the government complex to rule out any possibility of a hidden explosive device.
Employees and visitors within the complex were instructed to remain vigilant while the search operation was underway.
After conducting an extensive search of the premises, law enforcement officials determined that the email was a false alarm.
“We conducted a thorough sweep of the entire government complex but did not find any suspicious object or explosive. It was a hoax email,” a senior police official confirmed.
Although the bomb threat turned out to be baseless, authorities are taking the matter seriously.
The police have initiated an investigation to trace the origin of the email and identify the sender.
Legal action is expected against the perpetrator for spreading false information and causing unnecessary panic among government officials and the general public.
