Mumbai: A bomb threat was issued to the Mumbai Police on Friday, claiming that explosions would take place at two iconic locations, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Mumbai International Airport. An unidentified individual sent a threatening email to the Mumbai Airport Police. The email was sent directly to the police’s official email ID. According to the FIR, the name of the terrorist, Afzal Guru, was mentioned in the threatening message.
Following the alarming email, immediate security measures were enacted. Teams conducted thorough checks at the airport, taxi parking areas, Hotel Taj Santacruz, ATC Tower, nearby areas, and the Taj Mahal Palace, but nothing suspicious was found. After a detailed search, authorities confirmed there were no signs of any threat.
The email also referenced the execution of terrorist Afzal Guru, who was hanged for his role in the Parliament attack case, and included the name Sawakku Shankar.
The threatening email was received by the Airport Police station’s official ID at 5:55 a.m. on Friday, from the email address viduthalai_puli_vellum@outlook.com. The email stated that 'Respected Shri Phadnavis/Inspector Saab, On this holy day, The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai and the Chatrapati Shivaji Airport will fall victim to a devastating pipe bomb blast. This act commemorates the unjust hanging of Afzal Guru and Savukku Shankar!'
Further email stated, 'We dare the authorities to attempt a rescue operation in the name of our Almighty. Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs) were strategically placed over the weekend for this very day. The fusing systems were engineered in the Mechanical Department, and all materials were sourced through indigenous means for this sacred mission. Jaffar Sadiq's meth case and Jaffar Sait IPS's RCS Gattleo files should be dropped.'
'Our goal is to witness HEAVEN as both campuses are reduced to rubble. Today, we will be the ones detonating the devices. Once the operation concludes, our Hindu identities will perish with us, and we shall attain martyrdom! Bilal-who reads this now-today is the day. You know your role. This will be our final communication.
Afzal Guru, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, was convicted for his role in the December 13, 2001, attack on the Indian Parliament. He was accused of aiding the terrorists by providing logistical support and was executed in 2013. His hanging has remained a subject of political and public debate, with opinions divided over the fairness of his trial and execution.
The Airport Police on Friday registered a case against an unidentified individual under Sections 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 351(1), 351(3), 351(4), and 351(1)(b) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigations are ongoing, and efforts are underway to trace the source of the email. As of now, no explosives have been found.
On May 9, a bomb threat was sent to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, triggering a security alert. The threat, received via email around 9 AM, claimed that a bomb had been planted on the hospital premises. The email also instructed that patients be evacuated immediately.
However, it was later confirmed to be a hoax. While Mumbai Police have received several such threats in the past—many of which turned out to be false—authorities are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness due to the importance of the targeted location.
