Hoax Bomb Threat Triggers Panic at Tirupati Collectorate

Tirupati: A hoax bomb threat email sent to the Tirupati district Collectorate created panic among officials and staff on Friday. The email, reportedly received on the official ID of the Collector’s office, claimed that explosives had been planted in the premises and that the building would be blown up.

Following the alert, bomb disposal and dog squads were immediately deployed to the spot and conducted extensive searches across all sections of the Collectorate, including the Collector’s chamber and adjoining offices. After a thorough inspection, police officials confirmed that no explosive materials were found.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the threat mail originated from Tamil Nadu. We have traced the source and are verifying the details to identify the sender. It appears to be a hoax, but we are not taking any chances,” a senior police officer said.

The officer added that cybercrime teams have been roped in to investigate the source of the email. “Similar bomb threat emails have been received in the last two weeks, and we are examining whether they are connected,” he said.

The incident caused brief panic among employees, but normalcy returned once the premises were declared safe. Security around the Collectorate has been tightened as a precautionary measure.