Hoax bomb threat in Tamil Nadu secretariat, security tightened

After authorities received calls claiming that there was a bomb placed in the premises of the Tamil Nadu secretariat, security was beefed up.

According to a news agency, the caller refused to reveal his identity initially. The call was later traced to a man in Coimbatore who informed them of explosives being placed at the secretariat, and also the residences of a couple of senior officials, including CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy CM O Pannerselvam. The caller claimed that they were disappointed with AIADMK’s stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The officials reportedly received another call as well, from a woman in Coimbatore, who threatened them of functioning as a human bomb when the CM decided to visit the city.

A sanitation exercise was conducted at the secretariat by the bomb squad following the prank calls. The callers have been traced and detained. Interrogation is in progress and further details are awaited.