Tirupati on edge again as Collectorate gets hoax bomb threat

Tirupati: A fresh wave of alarm swept through Tirupati District Collectorate on Friday morning after an email warning of a planted bomb landed in the official inbox of the Collector’s office. The message, which threatened to blow up the premises, sparked immediate panic among employees and prompted a full-scale security response.

Within minutes of the alert, bomb disposal experts and sniffer dog squads fanned out across the multi-storey complex, scouring every section — from the Collector’s chamber to record rooms and public counters including the restaurant. The search lasted for hours, but no trace of any explosive material was found, confirming that the threat was yet another hoax.

Police officials later said the email originated from Tamil Nadu and that efforts were on to identify the sender. “We have tracked the digital trail and are verifying the details. While it appears to be a fake threat, we are treating it with utmost seriousness,” said a senior officer involved in the probe.

Cybercrime investigators have been called in to assist with the case, as officials suspect a link with previous bomb hoaxes that have unsettled the temple city in recent weeks.

Tirupati has seen a spate of such incidents targeting public institutions, including hotels, the ISKCON temple, the Agricultural College, and even the airport.

Though the situation at the Collectorate returned to normal after the all-clear, security in and around the complex has been reinforced. Police have also sought technical assistance from the National Investigation Agency to trace the network behind the repeated threats, which have kept law enforcement on edge and the city’s nerves taut.