Bomb threat at PMC office in Pune: ‘Khalistan National Army’ email sparks alert across Maharashtra

A wave of bomb threats sent under the name of ‘Khalistan National Army’, an armed separatist group, put the security apparatus of both Maharashtra and Gujarat on high alert Wednesday morning.

The threats allegedly targeted government offices such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the Gujarat Chief Minister’s office, financial institutions, legislative buildings, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) shakhas, triggering mass evacuations.

In Mumbai, the BMC headquarters received a bomb threat at around 9.21 am. In the email sent from an ID [email protected], the sender allegedly claimed allegiance to the Khalistan National Army and detailed a timeline of blasts.

The email allegedly warned that a bomb blast would occur at Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde’s office at approximately 1.11 pm. It also allegedly claimed that several other civic offices would witness explosions later at 3.11 pm. The sender specified that the blasts would be executed using cars rigged with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), said the police.

Alongside the BMC headquarters, the threat email allegedly listed other areas in Mumbai, warning of explosions at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), and various RSS shakhas.

Speaking with The Indian Express, a senior civic official said that the police and the bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) were notified immediately upon receiving the message.

“The BMC is operating normally, and the mayor is currently chairing a meeting. The civic body will continue to operate as per schedule unless there is any update from the police officials,” a civic spokesperson told The Indian Express.

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Using the BMC’s independent security force, more officers were immediately deployed around the offices of the mayor and deputy mayor. Security measures were also significantly reinforced around the offices of Mumbai’s municipal commissioner and the four additional municipal commissioners, all senior IAS officers.

“Right now, every individual entering the building is being frisked thoroughly, and all vehicles are being rigorously checked before they are allowed to enter the civic parking lot,” an official added.

PMC evacuation

Meanwhile, the PMC headquarters in Shivajinagar was evacuated Wednesday morning after receiving a similar bomb threat sent under the name of the Khalistan National Army.

The alert was triggered after a bomb threat email was received in the PMC’s IT support inbox at 8.21 am. Following the warning, civic officials informed the police, prompting local police personnel and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) to rush to the premises. As a precaution, employees and visitors were evacuated from the main building while the area was searched.

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The threat allegedly stated that a bomb had been planted to target the Pune Mayor’s office. The other locations mentioned in the threat allegedly include the Vidhan Bhavan (state Legislative Assembly complex) and the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.

“Police teams were deployed immediately to cordon off the area and handle crowd control around the perimeter,” a senior police officer said, confirming that multi-agency security protocols were activated without delay.

Considering the contents of the mail, various agencies, including the police, Anti Terrorist Squad, and other Central government authorities, are looking into the case, officials said.

The police are verifying whether the threat was a hoax or was actually linked to the separatist group, sources said.

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The civic body building is situated in a busy area of Shivajinagar, adjacent to the PMC Metro station, making it one of the city’s busiest administrative and transit hubs.

The threats also extended to Nagpur, where security alerts were triggered at the RSS headquarters in Mahal and the Hedgewar Smruti Mandir premises in Reshimbag. According to Rahul Madne, Deputy Commissioner of Police, these locations were named in the email sent to the PMC.

While extensive searches by bomb squads yielded no suspicious objects, additional security measures were deployed at the Reshimbag premises, which is currently hosting the annual training camp of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti.

Bomb threat to Gujarat CM’s office

The office of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar, the AMC headquarters and the RSS office in Ahmedabad also received bomb threats. In this case, too, the threats were sent in the name of Khalistan National Army.

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The chief minister’s office was not evacuated, but the police said they conducted checks and found no suspicious items, declaring the threat a hoax.

However, the AMC office at Danapith has been evacuated, and an inspection was in progress.