Bengaluru police reveal 'love angle' behind hoax bomb threats spree
What's the story
The Bengaluru Police have arrested Rene Joshilda, a woman who allegedly sent hoax bomb threats to schools in multiple cities. The 30-year-old worked as an MNC employee and was arrested in June in Chennai. She was brought to Bengaluru on a body warrant after her arrest. Joshilda is accused of using fake identities to send bomb threat emails across several cities, including Chennai, Hyderabad, and Gujarat.
Deceptive methods
Joshilda used VPN to hide location
According to a report by News18, Joshilda used a virtual private network (VPN) to mask her real location while sending the threat emails. She also procured virtual mobile numbers through a "gate code" app to create multiple accounts. India Today reported that police traced her involvement in threat cases in Bengaluru's Kalasi Palya area. The motive behind these threats was reportedly unrequited love, as she had feelings for a co-worker who later married someone else.
Widespread impact
Threats extended to public places, including Modi stadium
Joshilda's threats were not limited to schools but also extended to public places like the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In her emails, she threatened to "blow up your schools like the Gujarat plane crash," raising concerns over the seriousness of her threats. The investigation revealed that she had sent similar threats earlier in June when she was arrested in Chennai for sending bomb threat emails to the Gujarat High Court.
Security measures
Threats were sent to Gujarat High Court
Inspector KN Bhukan of Sola police station in Ahmedabad said, "The sender warned that three IEDs were placed in the high court premises." He added that local police and bomb detection and disposal squads searched the court premises without disturbing proceedings. Similar threats were sent to the district and sessions Court in Rajkot, according to Jagdish Bangarva, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Zone 2.