News agency PTI's office in Chennai receives bomb threat
What's the story
The Chennai office of the news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) received a bomb threat on Friday morning, prompting the police to hurry there and conduct a thorough search. Officials stated that the alert was issued for the Kodambakkam office about a possible explosive. While police did not reveal the source of the threat, they verified that all essential checks were being carried out as part of the precautionary procedures.
Hoax spree
Hoax bomb threats to several high-profile targets
Chennai has been on high alert after a series of hoax bomb threats in the past week. The targets include high-profile residences such as those of Chief Minister MK Stalin and Governor R.N. Ravi, as well as celebrities like actress Trisha and actor-politician Vijay. The Bharatiya Janata Party's state headquarters, Kamalalayam, was also targeted.
False alarms
Threats confirmed as hoaxes
All these threats have been confirmed as hoaxes after security checks by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), local police, and sniffer dogs. No explosives were found during these searches. The cybercrime wing is now probing the origin of these threatening emails, with cases registered under relevant laws.