Mumbai Police Examine Hoax Bomb Risk Concentrating on Airport and Taj Lodge

Introduction

On Might 16, 2025, Mumbai Police acquired a threatening electronic mail claiming that bombs had been planted on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Worldwide Airport and the Taj Mahal Palace Lodge, two iconic landmarks in Mumbai. The e-mail, which referenced the “unjust” executions of terrorists Afzal Guru and Savukku Shankar, prompted fast safety measures. After thorough searches, the risk was declared a hoax, with no suspicious objects discovered. This text particulars the incident, the response, and its broader context.

The Bomb Risk

The threatening electronic mail was acquired at 5:55 AM on Thursday, Might 16, 2025, on the official electronic mail deal with of the Airport Police Station, despatched from viduthalai_puli_vellum@outlook.com. The message claimed, “Pressing: 7 RDX IEDs at TAJ Lodge/Airport, Evacuate All Public/Staffs Quickly! The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai and the Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Airport will fall sufferer to a devastating pipe bomb blast.” It cited the executions of Afzal Guru, convicted for the 2001 Indian Parliament assault, and Savukku Shankar, a controversial determine, as motives, describing them as “unjust.” The e-mail additionally talked about “Explosively Shaped Projectiles (EFPs)” allegedly positioned over the weekend and demanded the dropping of authorized circumstances associated to Jaffar Sadiq and Jaffar Sait.

Mumbai Police, treating the risk with utmost seriousness as a result of high-profile targets and town’s historical past of terror assaults, together with the 2008 Taj Lodge assault, deployed bomb detection and disposal squads, together with safety groups, to each areas. Thorough searches on the airport in Santacruz and the Taj Mahal Palace Lodge in Colaba discovered no suspicious objects or actions, main authorities to categorise the e-mail as a hoax.

Police Response and Investigation

The Airport Police registered a First Data Report (FIR) towards the unidentified sender below sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for legal intimidation and public mischief. The investigation is ongoing, with cyber consultants working to hint the e-mail’s digital footprints. Preliminary inquiries recommend the e-mail originated from exterior India, although particular particulars stay undisclosed because the probe continues. Mumbai Police have heightened safety at each areas and are conducting mock drills throughout town, particularly amid latest India-Pakistan tensions.

Context of Hoax Threats

This incident is a part of a latest wave of hoax bomb threats focusing on high-profile areas in India. On Might 13, 2025, the Maharashtra Secretariat’s Catastrophe Administration Management Room acquired an identical nameless electronic mail threatening a blast inside 48 hours, which was additionally deemed a hoax after searches. Earlier in Might, establishments like Tata Memorial Hospital and a number of Delhi schools, together with Woman Shri Ram Faculty, confronted comparable threats, all confirmed false. These incidents mirror a sample of hoax threats disrupting public security, with Mumbai’s Taj Lodge and airport incessantly focused because of their symbolic and strategic significance.

The Taj Mahal Palace Lodge, a historic landmark, was a main goal through the 26/11 Mumbai assaults in 2008, which killed 167 individuals. The airport, dealing with hundreds of day by day passengers, is one other important infrastructure level. The repeated focusing on of those websites in hoax threats underscores their vulnerability and the necessity for sturdy safety measures.

Public and Media Response

The hoax risk sparked widespread consideration, with media shops like The Indian Specific, Hindustan Occasions, and Occasions Now reporting on the incident. Posts on X, together with these from @PTI_News and @IndianExpress on Might 17, 2025, highlighted the e-mail’s reference to Afzal Guru and the police’s swift response, amplifying public consciousness. @mid_day famous that the risk, alongside one focusing on the Kamayani Specific, was confirmed as a hoax, reflecting public aid but in addition frustration over recurring false alarms. Sentiment on X emphasised the necessity for stricter motion towards perpetrators to discourage such disruptions.

Broader Implications

The recurring hoax threats, together with this one, pressure police sources and create public panic, notably in a metropolis like Mumbai, which stays on excessive alert because of its historical past of terrorism. The reference to Afzal Guru, whose 2013 execution stays controversial in some circles, suggests an try to use delicate political points. The point out of Savukku Shankar and Jaffar Sadiq signifies a attainable connection to regional or legal grievances, although the precise motive stays below investigation. These incidents spotlight the challenges of combating cyber-based threats, the place anonymity complicates tracing perpetrators.

The Mumbai Police’s proactive response, together with registering an FIR and collaborating with cyber groups, displays a dedication to public security. Nevertheless, the frequency of such hoaxes—over 100 colleges, hospitals, and authorities buildings focused in latest months—requires enhanced cybersecurity measures and public consciousness to mitigate worry and disruption.

Conclusion

The bomb risk electronic mail focusing on Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Worldwide Airport and Taj Mahal Palace Lodge on Might 16, 2025, was confirmed as a hoax after intensive searches discovered no explosives. Mumbai Police have launched a radical investigation to hint the sender, who referenced controversial figures to justify the risk. Whereas no fast hazard was discovered, the incident underscores the continuing problem of hoax threats in India, necessitating sturdy safety and cyber measures to guard important infrastructure and public peace.

Sources: Hindustan Occasions, NDTV, The Indian Specific, Free Press Journal, Enterprise Commonplace