Hoax bomb threat at Israeli Consulate in Bengaluru, probe underway

Bengaluru, Oct 4 (IANS) The Israeli consulate in Bengaluru had recently received a bomb threat, which turned out to be a hoax, and a probe into the matter was underway, the Karnataka Police said on Saturday.

The consulate officers lodged a police complaint regarding the incident on September 22.

According to the FIR, on September 19 at around 3.10 a.m., a bomb threat email was sent from cho_ramaswamy@hotmail.com to the Israel Consulate office's legal email ID consular2@bangalore.mfa.gov.il by a user identifying as Thuglak Cho Ramaswamy.

The email read: "Six RDX IEDs planted in the Israel Consulate Bengaluru, blasts will occur after Friday Islamic prayers."

The consulate, however, stated that the threat email came to their notice only on September 22 at 9 a.m.

Cubbon Park Police registered the FIR under Section 66(C) of the Information Technology Act and Sections 351(4) (whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) and 353(1)(b) (Statements conducing to public mischief with intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The police said that a search operation was immediately conducted, which revealed that the email bomb threat was a hoax. They further said that the FIR has been registered against an unknown person, and the investigation is ongoing to track the IP address and identify the individual who sent the email.

On September 6, the Airport Police registered a case against an unknown person for sending a hoax email to the manager of the Kempegowda International Airport, threatening to blow up the airport using Improvised Explosive Devices.

Based on a complaint by Ruban Raj, Deputy Terminal Manager, Terminal 2 of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the police registered an FIR against the email user identified as thozhar_leelavathy@outlook.com, charging him under section 125 (rash or negligent act that endangers human life or the personal safety of others), 351(4) (criminal intimidation through anonymous or concealed communication) and 353(1) ( statements that cause public mischief) of BNS for further investigation.

--IANS

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